Space Panda
by Rabenkopf
Summary: What if Kung Fu Panda would play in Space? Find out in my new fanfiction.
1. Prolog

**"Are we humans, because we look up to the Stars, or do we look up to the Stars, because we are humans?" – Stardust**

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Prolog**

The stars look wonderful again.

I could look at them for hours.

There are so many of them.

So much small sparkles.

So much to search.

So much to find.

The universe is huge.

What is the life of a panda against this size?

What is the life of anyone against this size?

One day I will be there.

Everywhere.

Reach the stars.

Explore them and their planets and moons.

Find new life.

New existences.

New Civilizations.

Be a part of this huge void out there.

Be a star.

One day I will leave my home and fulfill my dreams.

Go where no one has gone before.

Only by looking at them I am already there.

My destiny lies out there.

…

I breathe in and out loud.

What is this?

This star….it is green.

It looks like…..a green orb.

It shines much stronger than the others.

It looks like it would call for me.

The other stars.

They look odd.

Like eyes.

….These are eyes.

They are moving.

At me.

I recognize shapes.

Oh no!

This is a Space Hornet Swarm.

They are huge.

And they fly at me.

No!

No!

Let me go!

Please let me go!

No!

NOOOOO!

And I wake up.

Uhh….what was that?

A dream?

Yeah it had to be a dream.

Or better a nightmare.

At least the last part.

Something is pressing against my back.

I take it out.

He he….

My copy of "Starship Furious against the Space Hornet Hive."

So that's why this nightmare.

I stand up.

Seems so that I fell asleep, while watching it.

The metal ground on which I slept isn't very comfortable either.

I fall on my bed.

Turnover. My huge belly upwards.

And there they are.

I still can't find a reason, why it is bad to have a roof window.

In this way I see the stars always during going to sleep.

And the big universe.

….

I breathe in and out again.

Still the stars look wonderful now.

* * *

Came on the idea, when looked Star Trek last time. But this isn't a crossover. Try to make something own here.

Although I admit that I will use some inspiration from much sources. :)

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me.


	2. Disappearance

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter I:** Disappearance

I look out of the window.

There it lies in whole glory: The Jade Station. My home.

Jade Station is shaped by three rings: The most inner, called the Heart, where the so called Tower is standing, the Seat of the Senate of Jade Republic, as well as the HQ of the Star Fleet; The second ring, called the Inner Ring, where the embassies, the houses of the Senators, of rich people, the Training Grounds of the Star Fleet Officers and the so called smaller Docks are located; And finally the third ring, the biggest of all, called the Outer Ring, where the City of Jade Station is located. Most of the citizens of Jade Station are living there and there are millions of them.

In the Outer Ring I was born. My real parents I can't remember, because my first memorable years I lived in an orphanage. Until I escaped. I lived on the streets, surviving by doing things I can't remember any more. And I don't want to. I lived there till my foster father Shifu had found me and detected my potential. He accepted me as a daughter and cared for me.

He is the most important reason, why I am standing where I am standing right now. As Captain Tigress from the Starship Furious, which duty is to defend the Jade Station against its enemies.

I still remember the day, when I was promoted to Captain. It was my proudest moment. And happiest.

"Are you still looking at the stars?" a voice from behind me interrupts my thoughts.

I am in an empty darkened corridor of the Tower right now and I look backwards.

There in the Shadows is leaning someone against the wall.

He is approaching me and I detect the grayish-blue overall of a Star Fleet Officer as well as the one horizontal staff with a pearl in it at the collar. Then I recognize the grayish fur and the prominent eyebrows.

"Brother.", I mutter, after I recognized my older brother Tai Lung. He is not related through blood with me because he is a Snow Leopard and I a Tigress, but he was the first foster child of Shifu, our father.

"Lil Sis, It is good to see you." he says smiling and we hug.

"It is long ago, brother." I state.

"Yeah, three whole years." he replies, while ending the hug.

"How have you been?" I ask him happy.

"Oh it was good. A little boring but still…" he says while going besides me, in which way he can look out of the window as well.

"Boring? I heard that you have prevented a war between the Carlick Empire and the Jade Republic. And that although you had to fight through a whole fleet of the Melsat Oligarchy."

He chuckles a little. "Yeah boring like I said. On the contrary I heard that your first year as a Captain was everything but not boring."

"Ah that was nothing." I say.

"Nothing? You defeated the Space Hornet Swarm before it could destroy Jade Station. I heard that there are already Holovids about this."

"As well as your rescue mission of Princess Latarna to prevent the Destruction of her planet Massalia."

We laugh together.

Then his eyes get thoughtful.

"That you are back although your Five-Years-Mission isn't over, is a bad sign, or not, brother?" I ask after some while.

He turns his head to me. First I see worry, but it is replaced by a bright smile.

"Ah, Lil Sis, you are still a Naysayer. There is no need to worry."

But I don't believe him and it is good that he doesn't try to convince me more.

We look further outside to the Jade Station and the stars behind it.

"Lil Sis, I…." he wants to tell me something in an odd depressed voice.

Then a light gets on.

We turn around.

From a door a red panda in a blue uniform with a staff and five pearls on its collar comes out.

"Admiral.", we salute to our foster father.

"Stand easy, you two." he says to us.

Behind him comes a turtle in a white-purple silken dress.

"Prime Oogway?" I say in surprise and immediately blame myself for this undisciplined action.

When I assumed the worst earlier, now I know that there must be something very bad.

I notice that Tai doesn't look surprised to see him.

"Captain Tigress and Commodore Tai Lung, it is good to see you both." Prime Oogway says to us.

"Prime Oogway, why did you order me to come back?" Tai asks.

"Because something terrible happened." father says.

"What happened?" I ask curious and simultaneously concerned.

"To say it outright: One of the Jade Orbs is disappeared."

"Disappeared?" Tai asks.

"We don't know what happened. From one moment to another it was away."

"Could it be stolen?" I ask.

"We don't know. On the current status of the case everything is possible."

After a while of silence, Prime Oogway tells us:

"You two are the only ones besides us two and our personal Staff, which knows about this. And this only, because you two proved already that you are the most trusted of all Star Fleet officers. So keep it a secret as well."

"Understood.", Tai agrees.

I hesitate.

"Sir, what is about my Crew?"

Prime Oogway looks at me.

"Do you trust your Crew, Captain Tigress?"

"With my life, Sir."

"Also to keep this secret hidden?"

I hesitate.

"I am not sure, but I believe that no one of them would betray me, when I said that it needs to be a secret, Sir."

He eyes me fascinated. At least it looks like that.

"Very well, Captain Tigress. You and Commodore Tai Lung are allowed to speak about this also to the ones you trust enough that they keep this secret."

Father and Tai look surprised. Tai and I nod.

Prime Oogway looks away from me.

"You both know what could happen when the Jade Orb is in the wrong hands. You two will check all the possible threats of the Jade Republic, while Admiral Shifu here will send his personal Strike Force to look after the Orb in the City. With the help of the Police of course, although they will not know for what purpose."

"We will also enforce that no ship is allowed to leave the Station or enter it. So you don't need to worry about this." father adds.

"Understood.", we reply again in unison.

And with this we were dismissed.

I and Tai still talked about who should be contacted, but after this we separated again.

"Look out for you and your ship, Lil Sis. When this whole thing is over, we need to meet in a bar or something similar to talk for a while." he says to me as farewell.

"I take you by your word, Tai." I reply smiling.

And then he left.

….

Even when I smiled, I don't feel so happy.

The disappearance of a Jade Orb is the worst-case scenario since the build of the Jade Station.

Its energy is strong enough to power even a weapon, which can destroy whole planets, when not worse.

In the wrong hands this Orb can lead to a disaster of an apocalyptic scale.

I hope that the one with the Orb isn't the one to whom the wrong hands belong.

* * *

Here is the first Chapter to my new fanfiction. Have posted also two pictures about the Jade Station on my DA account.

Hope you enjoy the chapter.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me.


	3. The Noodle Shop

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter II:** The Noodle Shop

Why?

Why there must be such a difficult choice?

It is like choosing between Noodles and Dumplings.

Which should I take?

The Holocard with Captain Tigress during her promotion to Captain. The only Holocard, where she smiles in public.

Or the Holocard with Captain Tigress and recordings of her most famous commands.

"Hold the Line!" comes her voice from the card only to remind me of this fantastic feature.

Iiiirrrrggghhhhh!

What should I choose?

"Hey, Po isn't it time for you to work?" the old bunny Mister Pasha, the owner of the Kiosk, says to me.

I look at my watch.

Oh No!

It is already 7:56 a.m.!

I put down the Holocard with the recording and pay the price for the other in record time.

I rush through the labyrinth of the Peace District, the lowest district of the Outer Ring. Above me is the armored roof with only artificial lights and no windows.

"Hey, Po." Miss Sarah, a cat, from the Bank around a corner greets me.

"Morning, Miss Sarah. I am in a hurry. Must go." I can squeeze out between two airs catching, before I nudge against a guy.

"Look out where you are running!" he yells at me.

"Sorry!" I say and run further. I didn't even have time to look at him properly.

I can dodge further nudging with people on the streets, before I reach the entrance to "The Noodle Shop of Mister Ping" finally. I insert my license card into a slot and the blue energy field between outside and inside flares once. In this way I can enter it and no other person. When I cross the main entrance a cheery "Welcome!" is heard. Every customer hears that before entering.

"Po! There you are! Hurry! Change your clothes!" Mr. Ping tells me. He is a goose and wears these traditional Chinese clothes like always. I enter the Shop, where I had to change also in such clothes with a small hat, on which a holopic of the logo of Mr. Ping's Noodle Shops is activated. Between the Shop and the main entrance is a big free area for tables and also two air lifts to the two upper levels. In the middle of the ground of the upper levels is a hole, so that the stars can be seen.

I want to dress my pinafore in this moment, when Mr. Ping shouts to me: "No, Po! Today you will do waitressing."

"What? Why?"

"Because Hai can't come in time today. He called for that in the last minute."

"Oh man…."

I hate to do waitressing. Cooking is much more fun.

I clean up the tables fast and then 8 o'clock hits.

"Po, Deactivate the shield."

"On my way Mr. Ping."

I go to the main entrance and insert again my license card into a slot. Then a holographic display appears where I need to enter a four-digit code. Only I and Mr. Ping know it: 2008. The energy shield gets deactivated and the first customers enter the Shop.

Mr. Ping's Noodle Shop is different from most of the Shops in the Peace District. And the main difference is Mr. Ping himself. Most Shops have robots, who make the food, or computers, who order the food from somewhere else. In a mass production manner of course. In this way the food is ready fast, but not fresh. Mr. Ping orders always fresh goods and cooks them himself. He is so good in this already that he can make it almost as fast as the robots, but still fresh and much better tasting. In this way Mr. Ping has built up this Shop to one of the most famous Food Shops of the Outer Ring and that although in other parts of the Jade Station there are existing similar shops or restaurants. But Mr. Ping's prices are much smaller than the ones of these.

I am not working only for him, but also am his pupil. Although I feel myself more like a son for him. He has no family and I have no parents. Somehow we fit together rather good.

Except like now. When Hai and Asato are again away. They are bad guys, who milk the fact, that finding good waiters is almost impossible. Like I said earlier most cooks are robots and most Shops self-service. And most of the waiters are working in the expensive restaurants, because they pay more. And self-service Mr. Ping only accepts, when he has no other choice, because the contact to his customers is very important for him. He is a nice guy, although this isn't seen often. And in this way Hai and Asato want to have a day off more often than is good for the Shop. I bet Hai only didn't want to wake up so early and that is the only reason for him to be late.

"For us two portions of Mr. Ping's Noodle Soup made with Love." an old goat pair orders.

"Coming up!" I reply.

In the meantime it is already afternoon. Hai still didn't appear.

I rush through the ordering, when we get another customer. Although the "Welcome" is getting on my nerves sometimes, it is also a good alarm for new customers.

"Hello, Po. We want the same as usual." Miss Sarah and her colleagues of the bank come in.

"Coming!" I reply writing in my pad.

I run back to the Mr. Ping.

"Here are orderings from table 13, 8, 5 and 19." Mr. Ping put down the dishes on the table in front of me, while I insert my Orderpad into a slot right beside it.

I take the dishes and bring them to all the tables.

At table 5 is sitting a single customer. Not one of our regulars. He is a black panther, with a black jacket and black glasses. He ordered only a cup of tea.

He is reading a pad, while I put down the cup on the table.

"Can you wait a minute." he starts to talk with me surprisingly.

"Do you want to have any more?" I ask politely.

"No, I am satisfied. But I want to ask you something."

"Eh, I am in a hurry, Sir. No waiters there today except me."

"I see, but it doesn't last long."

I sigh.

"Okay, Sir, what do you want?"

"My name is Cien. How is yours?"

"Po."

"Po. I see. Could you do a favor for me during your break?"

"I don't know, Sir. Breaks are rather rare here."

"I see, but this doesn't take much time. Could you go to the bank not far away from here and order a High Security deposit locker from them? In your name of course."

"Sir, I don't know…"

"I pay you 1000 Jewels without counting the price for the deposit locker."

1000 Jewels? That is more than three of my monthly salary!

"Okay."

"Good. You need only to order this deposit locker and insert this there."

He shows me a wide, silver suitcase.

"What is in there?"

"Business. I will come back tomorrow. Don't talk about me till then. Tomorrow I will say you, when I want to have the key for the locker. For this I will pay you another 500 Jewels."

500 extra Jewels!

"Okay."

"Good. Here"

He gives me the suitcase and takes his Jewelpad out. He synchronizes with my and I am 2000 Jewels richer. Then he lifts his cup to the face and begins to drink his tea.

I store my Jewelpad away and run to the remaining tables.

Somehow his voice reminded me of someone….Whatever.

When I come to Mr. Ping back, he asks me straightly: "From where do you have this suitcase?"

"Eh…" before I can reply, Mr. Ping points his eyes to a spot behind me.

"Hai! That lasted too long!" Mr. Ping yells at him.

Hai is a chimp with normally black fur, but he had changed it on arms, legs and head to a cyan and the rest to red. He wears like always only a yellow pants and a red vest.

"It lasted as long it needed to last, old man.", he says to Mr. Ping in a rude manner.

"Fast change to your working clothes and begin waitressing." Mr. Ping replies ignoring the disrespectful behavior.

"Oky Doky, old man."

He disappears in the Shop.

We both sigh.

Then Mr. Ping remembers the last order and gives it to me.

"Here to Miss Sarah and her colleagues."

I nod and let the suitcase there.

Miss Sarah wears like always her working clothes: white shirt, grey suit. As well as her three colleagues a female bat, turtle and hedgehog. Miss Sarah is a gorgeous young cat with a grayish fur and green eyes, like me. Around her mouth below the nose and the whole forward part of her, she has a more silver fur, opposite of that her back as well as arms and legs have a more dark grayish fur.

I know her since I started to work here. She is not much older than me.

"Four times the Noodle Soup with the special Ingredient like ordered." I say during putting down the dishes.

"Thank you, Po." Miss Sarah says with a warm smile.

"My pleasure like always." I reply and then add, "Eh, could I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Can I rent a High Security deposit locker for a day in your bank?"

"Of course you can. But for what?"

"Ah there happened something I need it for. How much it will cost?"

"Let me think…."

"600 Jewels for renting and further 400 for every day." the older turtle with old glasses explains like always completely correct.

"Thank you, Mrs. Adams.", Miss Sarah thanks and I nod my agreement.

600 and 400 Jewels? This makes 1000 Jewels. As much as I got from this Cien guy. But first I need to know another thing.

"And I can do this during my break in one hour?"

"Yes of course. Till the bank is closed."

"I see. Thank you for the explanation."

Then I go to work again till my break starts. Somehow I could avoid the topic of the suitcase. I don't think that it was his intention, but I think the fact, that Mr. Ping was angry at Hai made it easier.

I notice that my thoughts come always back to the Jewels I got.

2000 Jewels in my pad….Almost a fortune.

After I ate enough, I am on my way to the bank. In this time there are less people than earlier, but still more than in the morning. And somehow I see also much more Cops than normal.

I am close to the bank, when something comes into my mind.

This guy wants to come for this suitcase tomorrow.

So if I give it to a deposit locker or not, tomorrow I will give it back.

And my home is as safe as a deposit locker. No one knows that there is something to get in my home.

….

No, no. I can't do this.

With this I would abuse the trust of this Cien.

…But on the other hand I don't know him.

And when I keep it for a night and don't tell him, I will be 1000 Jewels richer.

1000 Jewels….

How much I could buy with so much money?

….

No, I can't

…..Can I?

I don't enter the bank.

I will deposit it in my home.

There no one would assume it. There it is safe.

And by way what is the worst that could happen?

* * *

The second chapter. Hope you like it.

Hope you enjoy the chapter.

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.  
Characters you don't know are from me.


	4. Hint

**Greetings13 Everyone, I am15 Back from my Vacation14. And I have4 written Another1 Chapter. Hope you like25 it.**

**Also I added some pics around the Furious in my DA Account.  
**

**Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.**

**This World and Idea is mine.**

* * *

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter III:** Hint

_Same evening. _

I drive through the jumble of the floating cars. The Traffic on Jade Station is the most complicated and the biggest of the known universe. And this part of it, The Amusement District, on the lowest parts of the Outer Ring is the king or queen of the traffics. Dozens of lanes in every direction, not important if above me or below, right or left or diagonally, everywhere are the cars and it is much more surprising that the number of traffic accidents is still minimal. Maybe the intelligent species are really intelligent or simply their craving to live is bigger than their stupidity.

At least I know where these guys are and don't need to search them.

I shake my head, when I reach my goal: Bar of the Last Hell. A big neon red devil is seen above the entrance to the inner parts of the Bar, which is also a paradise for dancers. Normally in the teen age, but these two are really here.

I land my car. The Bar has much space for parking at its outer area, but I still need 5 minutes to find a free place.

I come out of the car, after the automatic car doors had opened up.

I go across free dancing area, which is built outside of the building and not even my blue uniform with its logo, which represents the Star Fleet, as well as the logo of my ship, the Furious, a orange tiger head with red eyes, which is found on my left chest, can show these dancers a little respect to let me through. Maybe they don't see it cause of my thin chest, but still….That is the result of being a hero.

I look around and find one of these two at a table finally. The tables here are floating and close to one of them is Lieutenant Monkey or Mr. Monkey sitting on a floating chair and is wearing a blue shirt with a red-brown leather jacket. It is open and one can see the logo of the Wild Geese, a Space-Ball Team, on the shirt.

He looks somewhere and there I find the second guy: Ensign Mantis, a small green mantis wearing a grayish shirt with an exotic sign on the back.

Mr. Mantis is talking with a pinkish butterfly in a golden dress. Obviously a female and it looks like both are flirting.

I reach Mr. Monkey.

"You two are the only persons, who really deactivate their Communicators during their short leave." I begin to talk with him and he turns his head to me, "You should know that….", "Shhh!" he replies and stops my talking. He looks back to Mr. Mantis's flirting.

"And what is so interesting in watching a flirt?" I ask him.

Monkey gives a pad in my wings with the title: How to talk a girl into dating you: Volume 8.

A Holobook.

"He is using this. Prepared for using it his whole free-time.", Mr. Monkey explains.

I look at it disgusted.

"You know that these books are pure flimflam? In every volume is written down the same, all of them have the same success rate and the only difference is the price."

"Not important now, Commander. He…." he stops in the middle of the sentence, "You know these books?"

Damn!

"No…I heard only from them." I reply as confident as possible.

He looks at me disbelievingly and shakes his head.

"And I thought you don't have emotions, Commander, but now I see embarrassment. This is a whole different side of you." he chuckles.

"No, this is not an embarrassment. This is no emotion. I don't have…." About what I am talking about!, "Of course I have emotions. Where do you have this idea that I don't have any?"

He chuckles still and before he explains it, he looks back to Mr. Mantis. The right time like it is seen: the butterfly slaps him with one of her wings and flies away.

The cheek rubbing Mantis comes back to us and jumps on the table. Mr. Monkey can't stops laughing.

"So…she dumped you?" he asks the obviously not question.

Mr. Mantis looks annoyed a little. "Yeah, she dumped me. So what?"

"Oh, nothing. Only because this was your 14 time to use the wisdom of this book and for the 14 time you got slapped." Mr. Monkey falls from the chair cause of the laughing. I look only startled.

Mr. Mantis changes his look to me.

"And you, Commander Crane? Are you here to laugh ower me as well?"

"No, no, of course not, Mr. Mantis.", I reply fast and then sigh.

I have forgotten almost my reason for coming.

"The short leaves are cancelled." I say confidently again.

Both say in unison: "What!"

Mr. Monkey climbs up to the chair again and now I can see confusion on their faces.

"Why?" they ask again in unison.

"Because we have a mission."

"A mission? I thought the Furious is in repair?" Mr. Monkey asks.

"It is still. But only the serious damages get repaired and the remaining damages will be repaired during the mission."

"I have heard nothing about a mission." Mr. Mantis declares.

I sigh.

"Of course not, when your Communicators are deactivated. How often I need to say that the Communicators need to be online even on short leaves?"

They look at me with a face like they would say: "Ups."

I sigh.

Like always.

"So what mission do we hawe?" Mr. Mantis asks further.

"That you will learn when we are back on the ship. Come now, I have a car."

And so we leave the bar. I hope I don't need to come here ever again

* * *

The Furious is my ship. My pride.

For three years already I command it. For three whole years I do my duty.

The Furious is a Battle Cruiser. That means it is a heavy-equipped ship ready for battle, but has still smaller armor plates than a Battleship, but there for it is faster.

Its shape is simple. It exists of three pieces and the Drive Jets. The center of the ship is the biggest piece. Its shape is a rectangular with round corners and at the bow, which has a triangular shape, is the Main Deflector. The second part is below the Center and is the main Hangar Deck. All Fighters, all Transports and every mission's small ship are found there. Battle Cruisers have bigger Hangar Decks than Battleships.

The third part is above the center and has one main function: Control. The Bridge is located there and is closer attached to the center than the Hangar. Like the Hangar it is at the tail of the Ship.

At the tail of the center part is the Main Drive of the ship and to both sides are the two Drive Jets. Big circular Drives, powered with an Antimatter Core in the middle of the center part. With the help of the Drives we can reach at least 1000 times of the Light Speed, but only at times of emergency.

At the tail directly are also Drives but smaller ones for flying through Star Systems. It can reach at least 2 times the Light Speed.

I sigh.

The Furious is docked at one of the Docks of the Jade Station specially prepared for the Star Fleet. That is why this district of the Inner Ring is called Star Fleet District.

I am standing right now in the Briefing room directly behind the Bridge, with a big window showing the space behind the tail of the Furious. I changed already into my red-black uniform with my four pearls at my collar.

I sigh again.

We couldn't begin our mission immediately cause of still some needed repairs, which need to be made. Commander Storming Ox, the Chief engineer of the Furious, didn't recommend it to me. And so we needed to wait.

I shake my head.

At least in this way we could gather the Crew. Some of them were more difficult to find than I thought. At least Mr. Crane had found the two most troublesome members.

The automatic door of the Ship opens and entering is Lieutenant Viper, my communications specialist, but also a friend.

"Viper, how it looks?"

"Good, Captain. We have found all of them and they are on their way back to the Ship. But I have another reason for coming."

"What is it?"

"I have found something."

I turn around immediately and losing my cool only for a second.

"You have something?"

"Yes, I got a hint."

A hint?

"From where?"

"An anonymous message."

"Have you tried to decipher the location?"

"Yes, but no success."

I lower my head.

"Is it trustworthy?"

"It was no danger so I did as the hint recommended. And I have results."

Although on a Starship like the Furious it was the rule to inform the Captain of such a step, Viper has never betrayed my trust.

"So what have we?"

"We…." she wanted to start, but gets interrupted by incoming guests.

"Captain Tigress, here are the Runaway." Mr. Crane declares according to instructions and salutes thereby.

"We are no runaway!" Mr. Monkey protests.

Behind them Mr. Ox and Flying Croc, the chief doctor, are entering the Briefing room.

Before the two could protest further, I interrupt them: "Computer, Close the door. Authorization Captain Tigress, Code 1-1-7-8-9-0. We don't want to be disturbed."

"Yes, Ma'Am.", the female voice of the Computer replies.

I look back to the others. "To your seats, Gentlemen. We need to talk."

When everyone had a seat, I began to explain:

"Except to Mr. Monkey and Mr. Mantis, who were difficult to find, I have explained the situation already: A Jade Orb is disappeared." before one of the two could shout their shock aloud, I continue explaining, "How and when are unknown, only that it is away is sure. The Disappearance is Top Secret, so Level 5 of Secrecy Instructions. Mr. Crane can you explain for the out of the loop what this means."

"Talking about this with except the people in this room is absolutely forbidden. Writing about this is absolutely forbidden. No one except the people in this room are allowed to know about this in the first place. The remaining Crew knows that we are on a mission, but not which." he explains without further words.

"Because nobody knows how it could disappear all threats are possible right now. Our mission is to check the usual suspects, who can be dangerous for the Jade Republic. And it looks like, we got a hint."

"A hint?" Scales, the nick name for our chief doctor, asks startled.

"Yes. Viper had got it few seconds ago. Show what we have."

She nods.

"I got a hint from an anonymous person. It showed me a frequency. A much unexpected frequency. It is old, so I thought nobody uses it. But on this frequency a message is broadcasting.

Computer, upload the file hintsearch456 from my display, Authorization Lieutenant Viper, Code 4-5-2-8-0-2 and show it on the display here."

"Understood.", the Computer replies and shortly after a holographic picture was activated from the Holo-Projector on the table.

It shows a figure in the shadows, who is talking to us with a distorted voice. It is a recording.

"I am greeting you. I am Shadow Cloak. And I am in possession of a Jade Orb.", his shadowed hand shows the Orb, "The how I get it, is unimportant. I am ready to sell it in an auction. Who is interested in buying the Orb, the auction takes place at the coordinates Snow-Blizzard-Storm-Peak. I will expect you there in at Stardate 100688."

The recording ends.

All of us keep silent first.

"Can we recognize this ´Shadow Cloak`?", I break the silence as the first.

"No. I tried everything. Manipulating the message is impossible cause of using this frequency." Viper replies.

"What odd coordinates are these? I have never heard of such a thing." Mr. Ox asks.

"It may be a code." Mr. Crane replies.

I nod.

"Yes. And we need to decode it."

"Do you know who heard this message?" Mr. Mantis asks.

"That is one of the key points. Most of the civilizations don't use this frequency anymore. But cause of experience I know that some still listen to it."

"Who?" I ask.

"Let's tell the enemies of the Jade Republic belong to it."

"Can you be more precise?" Mr. Monkey declares.

"There are some possible threats. I can give a list. But I wanted to point out to a special person we know."

"Who is it?" Scales inquires.

"Black Banshee."

Somehow this information leaves us speechless.

….

How it could be different.

"Do we have his coordinates?" Mr. Crane asks.

Viper wants to deny this, reading her face, but she gets interrupted.

"We hawe." Mr. Mantis replies, "I and Monkey know where he is."

All of us look at them surprised.

"Wherefrom?" Viper asks.

"We heard that during our short leave." Mr. Monkey replies grinning.

I grin and nod.

"So we have a clue where we need to search….Ox, is the Furious ready?"

"She is not completely repaired, but I think me and my engineers will be able to do the rest."

"Agreed. Scales, how our supplies look?"

"As full as they can be, Captain."

I nod.

"Crane and Viper, you two will try to figure out who our secret helper is and what this code means. Use every resource, which is available."

"Aye, aye, Captain." both say.

"Monkey and Mantis, you know where our lovely friend is, so get ready to take us there. And change into uniform."

"Aye, aye, Captain." this two also say and salute.

Then I turn my head to the stars.

Finally the hell of doing nothing is over.

"Let's pay our old friend a visit."


	5. Weird Night

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter IV:** Weird Night

The remaining working day was rather normal.

Cien didn't come a second time like he told.

And when it strikes 10 p.m. o'clock I need only to wash and then I can go home.

But after I grabbed the suitcase and started to leave the Shop, someone joins me.

"Hey, Po, how are things?", Hai asks me.

"Good. But it would be better, when you and Asato wouldn't milk Mr. Ping so much. He is a nice guy.", I reply while leaving the Noodle Shop behind me.

Hai follows me and begins to laugh.

"Nice Guy?...Ha Ha, oh Po you are still as naïve as always.", I don't like this comment, "When will you understand, that in this world there is only one person you should care about?"

"And who should this be?"

"Yourself, of course. Helping others is useless. You will lose every time."

I stop and turn around to him.

"That's not true! There are still people, who care for others and no one of them is a looser. Like the Crew of the Furious. They are heroes!"

"Heroes? Pah! There is not such a thing like heroes in this world. This whole thing about the Space Hornet Swarm was staged. Only to show us, that we are save on Jade Station when we have faith in the Star Fleet. Tse! When you want to live save, you need to do it yourself."

I shake my head.

I turn away and then I ditch him.

How could he say such a thing?

Haven't he seen the Battle between the Furious and the Swarm back then like the other citizens of the Jade Station?

They had risked their lives for us!

I shake my head again.

I didn't spare a further thought on this matter and continued walking in the direction of my home. It is also in the Peace District but in a different part of it. Fortunately here on the lowest parts of the District no cars are floating except close to Connect-Tunnels. In this way I can pass through the streets, avoiding the trouble parts and reach my home without risking getting snubbed.

My home is in one of the skyscrapers of the District. I enter the lift and click the number to my apartment.

Why have I chosen this skyscraper to live and not one of the others although the prices are similar? Besides my roof window, cause of the Lift window. One side of the lift is a big window. In this way I see like I get higher and higher. I reach and pass the area where the cars are floating and the more expensive shops are. They are built onto the skyscrapers or the walls of the District.

But the best part comes now: the lift leaves the Shell of the Jade Station and I can finally see my stars. They are everywhere except below me, where the Peace District is expending. There are only few skyscrapers that are built so high, but they are as safe as the rest of the Jade Station. A big semi-circular Shield is activated in times of emergency, which surrounds the whole Jade Station.

…Except three years ago.

No one knows – or at least no one I know – why the shields were deactivated back then and the Space Hornet Swarm could attack Jade Station.

And the Furious could rescue us.

But somehow I don't care about the reason.

They are still heroes…

In this way the prices for apartments, which were built as high as mine, got cheaper and I could rent my apartment in this way.

The lift stops and its door opens up. I enter my apartment. It is not big. There is one narrow corridor in which I am standing right now. Few steps further a door to the left leads to the kitchen of the apartment and again few steps further a door to the right leads to the bathroom inclusive the toilet. The walls are out of silver metal like in every building on Jade Station. My walls look already a little rusty and old.

Finally I enter my bedroom/living room. There is my bed right below the window left of me, close to it a small moveable table on wheels, a Holo-TV at the right wall, cupboards across from me for my clothes and around the TV for my collection of Holocards and Holovids.

Thanks to my additional money from today, I could buy also a Holovid: Starship Heroes: The Conspiracy. One of the old Vids, whose hero is Tai Lung, the older brother of Captain Tigress, but I haven't seen it yet.

I stop in the track.

"There are no heroes.", I hear still in his voice.

I shake my head again.

I put down the suitcase beside of my bed and my bag with my things on the bed. I take out some fresh clothes from the cupboards across the room and go showering. No bath here.

I undress myself and thereby the Holocard falls down.

I take it and see Captain Tigress again at her promotion day.

…

I lay it down and start showering.

I wished always to get to the Academy when I was young. But to go there you need especially one thing: money. And someone who supports you.

Like Admiral Shifu did for Captain Tigress. It would have been nice to have a father even when only foster father.

After showering I dressed into my new t-shirt and pants and went to the kitchen.

Thanks to Mr. Ping's teachings I can finally eat also some fresh things. Fortunately he had also recommended me some food shops, who sell good stuff.

In this way I can cook for me something warm and good. I made noodle soup, Dumplings, few salads with fruits in them, a plate full with roasted noodles, but also some spring rolls with vegetables in them and a long cup full with Ice Tea. And of course several servings from these….Somehow I know, why I have not much money.

With a big plastic plate I transport the first serving to my room onto my bed. I move the table between me and the TV and rearrange the plate on it. Then I take out the Holovid and start playing the Holo-TV.

Immediately a 3-dimensional picture is projected in the free space between me and the TV. I see a storage house. A guy is walking between containers. It is very dark, but I can recognize the guy: It is the lynx Howard McKenzie, a famous movie star. In this movie still very young. He is always acting as the hero of his movies.

I start eating the soup, when I recognize the reason for his coming: Another guy appears from the shadows. They talk about business.

…Reminds me of something.

I look at the suitcase.

…

I keep it better close to me.

Then I hear a yell.

I turn around and see like McKenzie is shot down.

"No!" I yell and stand up in the same moment.

When the scene is ending with an evil grin of the killer, I realize something: I had touched the table with my belly.

I look down and notice what I have done: I knocked the bowl full with soup down and it had landed on the suitcase.

"Oh, no!", I say and reach for it immediately. The bowl is completely empty.

I lower my head.

"Not again.", I mutter and click on the pause button of the Holo-TV and start to go to the kitchen again.

Then I realize something: The suitcase is not a silver block anymore. Some pointy lights got activated.

"Oh, no!", I shout again and drop the bowl.

I get to the suitcase and try to clean away the soup and noodles.

"No, no, no…."

Then one of my fingers touch the surface of it and I hear a male computer voice: "Touch is detected."

A small, grey antenna gets out of the suitcase and a white-blue light is flashed. It surrounds the whole room.

"Touching subject detected.", the computer voice talks again, after the light faded and the antenna went down again.

"Comparing with the data….", I hear some cracking noise, "Compare software corrupted. Analysis…Reset of every software needed. Deactivation in 5…4…3…2…1…"

The lights fade.

….

….

Okay….

….

The lights get on again.

"Complete Analysis of software and hardware will be executed in 5…4…3…2…1…"

Then I hear many different noises and see like the lights change from activated status to deactivated and several antennas get out and go in again.

And then the suitcase opens. The two parts of it tilt up like a book and meet at the ground again. But more fascinating is what they reveal: A big green shining ball. It resembles a bowling ball and it is surrounded by many different gadgets, which get out of the suitcase. The Ball itself seems to float.

I can't take my eyes away from the ball, when I hear the voice again: "Closing software corrupted. Analysis…..Corrupted file found. Needed repairs are executed."

Then it gets silent in my room again.

….

I look back to the ball.

I feel….like it would….call for me.

I get closer.

And closer.

And then I move without control….

…What?

I realize what is happening.

"No, no…"

I try to flail backwards.

…

I get away!

Yes!

But then one of my hands touches it.

An electroshock goes through my body.

It is the biggest pain, I have ever felt.

And then I begin to see it.

Pictures.

Of people.

Planets.

Starships.

Too fast to recognize something precisely.

And then feelings appear also.

Not my, that I realize from the beginning.

Happiness.

Peace.

Anger.

Fear.

Panic.

All get swapped through me.

And then I see like Darkness surrounds me.

I try to flee, but can't move.

No!

….

Uhh…

What….happened?

It is dark.

I open my eyes.

Around me is a blur, but my vision gets better slowly.

I start to recognize my room.

The suitcase….

It is in front of me.

Closed.

I crawl to it.

I move my hands slowly.

Then I tap it. Fast.

Nothing.

Then again.

Still nothing.

Then I touch it normally.

Nothing.

….

Was this a dream?

….

Ugh…my head.

I look up at my digital clock above my bed.

Crap!

7:30!

I need to wash and dress!

….

Faster!

7:45! …Needs to be a record.

I grab my things and am already out of the apartment.

….

Of course I forgot the suitcase.

* * *

The fourth chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	6. Old Days

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter V:** Old Days

_Same night. _

I am staring at the Holopic.

It was made in happier days.

It was my second mission as Captain of the J.S.S. Roruck. An exploring mission.

We had found an ideal Garden-World. In the right distance to its star, perfect mix of air and much fertile earth to start colonization. We called it Ānlètǔ, Paradise.

I sigh.

I allowed my Crew to take vacation for the next days on the planet.

I went down also with my family.

Back then it was safe enough that Star Fleet Officers were allowed to take their families on missions.

My family was always small like the Holopic tells, but we never cared for this.

In the middle I am standing. Still in my golden uniform like always.

My fur back then was much redder than today. More red than white and not like today the opposite. But I admit that my moustache is better today.

To my right is standing Tai Lung, my first adopted child. Already back then he was bigger than me. He wore a black tank top and jeans back then. But different from his clothes his posture was not rebellious: His hands crossed on his back, his chest blown forward and eyes like a disciplined Star Fleet officer, who was saluting right now.

Wouldn't be there this smile.

Back then he smiled often as well as me. It was the day before he went to the Academy.

At our feet Tigress was sitting. It was the first mission I took her with me after I have adopted her. She wore still her red tank top and black trousers.

I chuckle quietly.

Like today. Nothing changed in this manner, but instead normal clothes she wears a uniform now and is bigger than me.

On this Holopic she has smiled for the first time. A rare sight till today.

….

I shouldn't be carried away by my memories.

How Prime Oogway said to me already when I was still a young Ensign, who have passed the Academy few days ago:

"Yesterday is history,

Tomorrow a mystery,

But today is a gift.

That it is why it is called ´present`."

So I should better listen what they are saying.

"….and Patrol Omega has found junk of metal. Probably a smuggler, who got too close to the frontiers of the Zhu Empire.", the holographic image of Admiral Thundering Rhino ends his report.

All the images of the highest ranked officers of the Star Fleet start looking at me now.

"Is there more to report?" I ask into the round.

"No, this was the last one." Admiral Sewing Sheep tells me.

"Fine. Then I declare this briefing as closed. Next in 48 hours."

All the images disappear except one.

"Can I talk to you in private, Shifu?" Admiral Rhino says.

I sigh.

"Of course, old friend."

"Shifu, what is going on?"

To this directness I am not accustomed from Rhino.

"..No…Nothing is going on. What should be?"

He lowers his head.

"During the briefing you were light years away, Shifu. And I believe that I am not the only one, who noticed this. So what is keeping your mind busy, old friend?"

I hesitate.

Should I tell?

….

No.

"It is nothing. I am only a little overworked. The typical problems of the station became more frequent in the last days and kept me busy."

"I see…" he mutters below his horn, "It would be better, when you get more sleep then. Or relax a little."

"I will do this." I reply smiling.

We say goodbye to each other and then his image disappears. My smile fades away in the same moment.

I lean back in my seat.

How far it went already?

I shake my head.

"Computer, any reports?" I say out loud.

"No reports, Sir." the female voice answers.

I sigh.

"Put me through to Agent Mask. Tap-proof."

"Understood."

A holographic image of a wolf wearing an eyeless mask is showed.

"Agent Mask how is the situation?"

"No Ship has left the Station since the theft, Sir. That is for sure. But that is the only good news I can tell you. No sign of a thief, if there is even one."

"Can't the energy signature be located?"

"No, Sir. As well as we don't know, how the Jade Orb has disappeared, we also don't know how an energy signature, which is able to kill someone by touching it, can disappear. Except the Walls in the Jade Station Core, of course."

"I see…."

"…Sir, can I speak without notes?" he asks me after a while.

"Yes, you can.", I say knowing what will come.

"It would be much easier to detect, if a thief is on the Station, when we bring the Police of Jade Station into the loop. Not everyone, but still the Higher-Ups. I noticed missing motivation from the Higher-Ups as well as their subordinates to help us. Also it would be good to inform the Senate and the Star Fleet Command. With their help everything would go much faster and tidier."

I nod.

"I know, but the decision was made already. No informing of the Senate, the Star Fleet Command or the Police Higher-Ups, Agent Mask. You need to get the job done without this help."

"But, Sir, I…."

"This is everything, Agent Mask. I expect a report tomorrow morning. Shifu out."

And then the image disappears.

I sigh.

…A thing I do rather often in the last time.

….

I need to talk.

"Computer, put me through to Prime Oogway's office."

"Understood."

A holographic image of a dark goose in yellow traditional clothes is showed.

"Zeng, where is Prime Oogway?"

"Ah, Admiral Shifu. He is at his usual meditating spot."

"I see. Thank you. Shifu out."

I stand up and go to the next lift.

Prime Oogway's usual meditating spot is known only for few. It is at the highest point of Jade Station: Above the Tower, where actually space is already.

I sense like the lift is leaving the Tower walls and then it opens up.

No one would guess that this location is above several meters thick steel. It looks like a garden. With earth, grass, bushes, rocks and even a pond. This whole spot is protected with a special shield against the space, which is powered from a separated Energy Core.

In front of me is the staff of Prime Oogway and on it is his shell.

"Prime Oogway, I need to talk with you."

Slowly the shell is moving and the remaining parts of Prime Oogway appear and he climbs down the staff like he would weigh no more than a feather.

"What is it, my old friend?" he asks me with his old and wise voice.

"It is going about these secrets. I still feel not comfortable about them."

He looks at me with his sad looking eyes, but a smile appears below them.

"What is burdening you so much?"

"My oath. A Star Fleet Officer has the duty to protect the principles of the Star Fleet. And truth is one of the most important ones of them."

He walks a little.

"All of them are important, Shifu. But sometimes there are more important things than them."

"But…is the safety of Jade Republic really worth abandoning our principles?"

He looks at me again.

"I don't know, Shifu. But…maybe I am not the right one to decide this."

He looks up to the stars.

Then he surprises me.

"Shifu, do you trust me?"

"Of…of course, I do! Have always." I reply a little unsure.

He turns to me again.

"Even when I am not sure, I still have this feeling that what we do is the right thing. It is a while I had it and it will be the last time. Will you be able to trust this feeling of me? Have faith in me?"

I keep silent for a while.

At the end I nod.

"Very well. I have faith in you. But what you mean with ´last time`?"

He turns his back to me and looks up to the stars again.

"This will be my last duty as the Prime."

I am shocked.

"What?...This…this can't be!"

"But it is so. I sense it."

"But…but we need you!"

He turns his head back to me.

"When this whole matter is over, you will have something much more important than me. The universe is awaiting a change. A radical one."

"A change?"

"Yes.", he nods and starts looking at the stars again.

I am confused that I admit.

Before I can ask anything, he continues speaking: "Shifu, have you ever thought, where the Jade Orbs have come from?"

I think about this.

"You have found them."

"Yeah, but before I have found them."

"…I admit that I have never thought about this."

"I have thought about this since I have found them. And till today I haven't found even a single clue. And that although I have thought about every possible solution I know and have searched for clues everywhere….But now I think….no, I believe….that the secret will be finally revealed."

I keep silent after this.

Then I look up to the stars also.

….What will the future bring to us?

A change?

Will it be good?

Or bad?

The stars don't tell it.

* * *

The fifth chapter. Hope you like it

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	7. Change of Plans

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter VI:** Change of Plans

The time has come.

The lights get dimmed because of the late hour.

I undress my glasses, while I cross the streets of Peace District.

Still much people here. Good. In this way I am safe.

Although my staff should be doing the trick as well.

I reach this Noodle Shop.

…

Hope this panda was not too clumsy. I have chosen him only, because he had contacts in the bank. In this way the suitcase would not be scanned before doing it inside the deposit locker. And there no one would suspect it.

A patrol of police crosses the street. Should better go inside the Shop.

Like agreed I should meet him at highest level of the Shop.

I take the lift and am there short after. The lights here are dimmed stronger cause of better seeing the stars through the roof window.

I look around.

I notice that Po is here and he notices me.

He comes over to me.

"Ah, Mr. Cien, good that…" he begins.

"Cien. Only Cien." I correct him, while noticing my target. A figure in the darkest corner.

"Eh, okay, Cien. I have to…"

"Is the suitcase safe?" I interfere.

"Eh, yes….in a way…"

"Good. Could you bring me a tea? Golden with honey." I order and then ditch him.

I reach the table.

"Finally meeting the legendary employer." I say amused and sit down opposite of him.

Cause of my night vision I can see his Cloak like last time, but he seems to use a darkening module, because I can't detect more details.

"And you are Cien; my employee." he replies again with a distorted voice, "Where is the Orb?"

"Coming straight to the point, what?" I reply smiling trying to relax the situation a little.

No reaction.

…I sigh.

Need to go with this.

"I need to inform you that there is a problem." I reply.

Before I can continue, Po appears with my tea.

He puts it down.

"Thanks.", I reply and await his leaving.

"Eh, Mr. C…Cien, I need to say you something."

"Not now, Po. Let us alone or are you not seeing that I am in the middle of an important conversation?"

He looks to the cloud, which is my employee.

"Yeah, yeah, of course, but….ugh." he moans in pain and holds his head.

"Go away, now." I make it clear again.

Finally he leaves.

I shake my head.

"An employee of yourself, what?"

Damn!

"Only a footboy. Nothing else." I try to downplay this topic and change it immediately, "Like I said a problem occurred."

"What problem?"

"You see, the equipment for doing the job was more expensive than I expected. You see finding a teleporting tool like this one is rather diffi…"

"Come to the point."

I lose my tongue.

"Eh, you see, we need to negotiate the price again."

He moves in his seat. At least such a thing I can notice.

"How much?"

I become professional again.

"At least 200% more."

Somehow I expected an angrier reaction like by my usual employers. But this one still don't show any sign of reaction. Only a cloud of Darkness.

Then he stands up. And the darkness with him. Looks really odd.

"You made a mistake, Mr. Black Panther.", he mutters and then leaves the table. The darkness around him disappears, when he reaches the lift, and I see only a man in a cloak. Then he takes the lift down.

…

Damn.

I take a sip of my tea.

"AHHHH!"

Damn again! I took a big sip and noticed its heat too late.

My tongue!

Damn the Third!

I stand up and leave to the next lift also.

Went worse than I expected. And I cheapened already to 200%!

Damn it! Damn it all! Why I am always so greedy?

I go to Mr. Ping at the one end of the Shop.

"Where is Po!" I demand to know.

"What? What do you want from him?" Mr. Ping reacts obviously startled.

"I…" I want to explain and try to get calm again, but then I see Po coming down from another lift.

I bridge the distance in a second.

"Po, give me the key! Immediately!"

"Eh, you know…" he mutters.

I sigh.

"Okay, give me your pad. I synchronize the remaining money. But do it fast. I don't have time to spend."

"Eh, that's not it."

I look at him with a stare, which should be able to kill. Is this guy as greedy as me?

"What – is – it?"

"Eh, there….there…"

"Spit it out!"

"There is no key."

What?

"What do you mean there is no key?"

"I…I…haven't rented a locker. The suitcase is at my home."

….

That's it. That was the last time I hire a nice looking guy.

"Where is your home?" I ask trying to control my anger.

"In the regions close to the Inner Ring."

Damn!

So far away! Why do you think, I wanted to have it close to my location? Damn!

I am ready to explode, but then I see them. Cops!

Damn! The employer seemed to have informed them.

I grab Po.

"Listen Panda. I give you a chance of getting my suitcase back immediately and get even more money for this, but there for you are not allowed to ask questions. Understood?"

"Yes…Yes...Ugh." he nods, before touching his head again.

"Then show me the backdoor of this Shop. Fast!"

"The backdoor?"

"No questions!"

He nods again and then runs to Mr. Ping and right beside him through the door to the kitchen.

"Po, what is going on?"

"I explain it later, Mr. Ping!" he replies shouting.

"Stop!" the closest police officer yells behind us.

Damn!

We cross the kitchen. I hit some pots, so they are in the way of the cops' feet.

…

I grin. Finally something, which worked.

We reach another door and Po taps the code in it. The door opens.

We pass through it and enter an alley.

"Stop!" another cop, a young spotted cat, is waiting for us.

He is reaching for his Blaster.

Not in this life, boy.

I raise my right arm and my Bracer-Blaster gets activated and I fire immediately.

Of course I hit.

"Oh, god you killed him!" Po yells.

No, but…

"Yeah and when you don't want to end up like him, you will show me the way to your apartment right now!"

I point my blaster at him.

After a little time of hesitation he agrees and goes forward.

I hope only that this will not end in another disaster.

* * *

The sixth Chapter. I think the story gathers pace slowly. Enjoy it

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	8. Suitcase and Stars

****Greetings Everyone! I have thought about something special, because this is the last weekend in this month.

I will publish three chapters of Space Panda, so one every day of this weekend. This is the first one, still two to go.

Hope you like it.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.

* * *

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter VII:** Suitcase and Stars

How could I end up in such a situation?

First this weird night with this dream.

…Or was it a vision?

…I don't know.

And then I end up as a hostage/guide of a criminal, who shot down a cop in front of my eyes.

….

I need to stop him. He is a criminal. A killer. A terrorist maybe.

…But I am scared. What when I end up like the cop dead in an alley?

"Hurry up, Panda! We don't have all day!" Cien yells at me from behind.

Uhh…

Again this headache….

We are running through the streets of Peace District. Not much citizens and most of them didn't care for us.

Are they not seeing the gun in his bracer? Or are they as scared as me?

…Maybe I can lead him to the Police Station?

"Stop!" we hear the yell of someone behind us.

I hear shooting.

"Don't you dare to stop, Panda!" Cien yells at me.

Then we hear the siren of a Police Floating Car in front of us.

I hear like Cien is cursing.

He drags me into the next alley.

"Faster!"

"But we are wrong here!" from here I can't lead him to the Police Station.

"Don't care! Run!"

I run.

But after so much running I get winded.

I look behind. The Police Car is curving into the alley although the alley is almost too narrow for it.

Yeah!

Cien turns around as well and points a second Bracer-Blaster at the Car.

No!

He shoots and hits. One of the floating car's Drives gets damaged and the Car is rushing forward and down without control.

Wait a second…It rushes at me!

Down!

….

Lucky it didn't hit me.

I hear further shooting.

I look up. At the entrance to the alley, from where we were coming, our police pursuers had appeared, but Cien had hit the first and was running at the second, who was hiding himself behind the next building.

Before he can shoot, Cien hits his chin with a knee attack and he faints at the ground.

Now Cien turns around to me and runs here.

"Stand up, Panda! We have not the time to stop here!"

"But…you are a Killer and will kill me anyway, isn't it?" I say with as much courage I can collect right now.

Cien looks at me with a deadly look and my courage goes down the drain.

"Killer? Pah! How can you compare me with such amateurs? I am a Professional!"

Heh?

"Stop!" We hear yells from behind me, where the Police Car crash-landed, before I can enquire what he is then. The Police Officers are still living and are trying to escape their car, but like I said earlier the alley is too narrow. They can't even take their arms out despite the upwards sliding doors.

Cien grabs my collar.

"Come, lead the way!", and then pushes me forward.

I can't resist him.

We are running through the streets of Peace District. There are almost no people out here and the ones, who are, are running away, when seeing us. My head still hurts.

A hand grabs me.

"Stop! This way." Cien orders me.

"But my home is in this direction." I protest quietly although following his order.

"I know. Go!" is his only explanation.

From now, he leads the way despite being behind me and pointing his blaster at my back.

We are passing through different alleys, where we meet no one. I hear the noise of sirens, but they seem to be far away. This road seems to be more secret.

After a while I recognize it. A road I normally not take, but it leads to my home as well.

He seems to know, where the regions close to the Inner Ring are.

It last not long and we see the reason for me not coming through this road: The Silver Fox Gang, who are controlling the criminal life in my home region. To their region no Police Officer is daring to go.

They are animals of different kind, but all of them are wearing a black T-Shirt with a Silver Fox Profile on it and Silver Headbands. There are four: A Dog, a female Cat, a Wasp and like always a fox as a leader, who is wearing sunglasses despite the shadowy surroundings at this time of day.

"Damn…" I hear Cien mutter and I hear like his Bracer-Blasters conceal themselves.

Maybe these guys can help me…

They notice and go to meet us, when I hear an unfamiliar noise, which resembles something which is extending. Shortly after Cien is passing me with a metal staff in his hand. Before the Silver Fox Guys can react, the first one, the dog and biggest of them, gets hit into the face with this staff two times and faint in this way.

They are cursing and are trying to get out their Blasters, but the second and third one are checkmate, before they can do this: Cien hits the Wasp and it flies directly at the cat and knockouts both of them in this way.

The Fox has his Blaster in the hand, but Cien strikes it out of his hand with an aimed hit with his staff. Then he hits him with two further strikes at the head and the fox ends up K.O.

The cat still stands up, but Cien hits her head again and that with full force. All of them are lying at the ground knockout now.

Cien splits his staff in two and these ones retract until they are not longer than his palm of the hands. He hides them in his jacket.

Then he looks at me.

"What are you waiting for?" he snaps at me and I run in front of him again.

Is this guy even beatable? 3 Police Officers dead, 2 injured in the alley and four Silver Fox Gang members K.O. within seconds. This guy is terribly strong.

And he doesn't even look like this.

Uhhh…again headache.

At the end I show him the way and we arrive at my skyscraper, before taking the lift. No Police here.

We reach my apartment and I show him where the suitcase is: Still besides my bed. He pushes me on my bed and grabs it.

"What the hell have you done with this?" he snaps at me again, after he saw the dried soup spot at the suitcase.

"Soup.", I reply weakly.

Now he will kill me. He doesn't need me anymore. I need to run to the entrance, but it is too far away. He will shoot me down, before I am even close.

"Soup? Did something happen?"

"Yeah. The Computer of this thing made a complete analysis and a reset. It detected one corrupted software at closing of the suitcase."

He looks at me astonished. Don't misunderstand this in a positive manner.

"So…you know what's in there?"

Now he will definitely kill me.

"No….", while looking away.

"Admit it!" he yells.

"Yeah, yeah I know. A big green ball with big electrical activity."

First he looks at me still astonished, but then he looks at the suitcase.

"I have secured this suitcase against Blaster fire to Degree 10, an explosion, which could destroy part of the Outer Ring, radiation, which is able to destroy all living and non-living material, but against soup….not."

He chuckles.

Is this good or bad?

His reappearing Bracer-Blaster, which he points at me, tells that it was bad. Really bad.

"I should shoot you down, damn Panda. You made my life worse than it should have been."

"Please don't kill me. Don't kill me like the Police Officers. I beg you."

He snorts.

"I didn't kill them. They got stunned or are injured. I said that I am not a Killer."

That surprises me.

"But what are you then?"

Before he can reply, we hear like my entrance door gets opened.

Opened? It should have been closed without my finger print and code.

He looks to his side, curses and uses the suitcase as a shield, before a Blaster hits it.

But this one wasn't normal. In the moment of touching the suitcase a small explosion starts and sends me at the next wall.

I hit hard and start losing consciousness. I see like three slim shadowy figures enter my living room/bedroom. They seem to be felines…

From somewhere I know them….

This is my last thought before I lose consciousness and Darkness surrounds me.

…

This time it doesn't end here.

I feel….odd.

I look around. The Darkness is huge, but then I see like lights appear.

These….are stars?

Stars?

I look around more.

These are stars! I am in Space!

Air!...Odd I don't need any.

Ahh…

Bigger Light. A Star in front of me. A red one….and a smaller blue one close to it.

Heat. I feel it. I am right beside a binary Star.

It is….fascinating. Awesome in some way.

I wanted always to get to the stars, although not so close.

…I get pulled away. I depart fast. In direction of my back.

I turn around my head.

Wah!

…

A planet! My head had almost hit a planet, if I hadn't bended it down!

This invisible force vanishes immediately.

…

And what now?

The force reappears: It turns me around.

…

Awesome….

In front of me is a planet. A Garden World. I see oceans, continents, mountains and I think this smoky pillar there needs to be an erupted volcano.

Again Awesome. Where am I?

…Wahhh! Not again!

The force pulls me down in a rapid way. It gets hot!

….I think this smell of burning something needs to be me.

The earth is coming closer.

No!

I cross my arms in front of my head as a sign of security.

…

I take them away….slowly

The earth is only a centimeter away from my nose.

….Awesome the third.

But then the force, which holds me, vanishes again.

Ow!

D'OH.

I get into a sitting position. My nose hurts…..and then I see it.

Awesome…Awesome…Awesome…Awesome….

Around me is something like a…Temple. The farthest parts from the center are big statues of…Pandas?

They look like this. They are in front of me and behind me. Holding a board or something similar.

To my right is the temple and stairs, which are leading to it. It looks like in these pictures about roman architecture, but simply more….awesome. At the top of it is a sparkling green light.

And everywhere are these statues of Pandas.

It is the first time I see other Pandas than me despite the fact that they are only out of stone.

I get on my feet. I try to take a step,…but this force holds me in place.

What is going on? Let me go!

The force turns me around.

…

A panda is standing there. A living one. He wears old and dirty clothes and he seems to be thin. He looks old, but not naturally old, but like someone, who got older faster than it would be wise.

….

He looks at me with these sad old eyes. Green eyes like mine.

…

Like mine?

…

"Dad?" I say out loud.

But then I see a flash behind him. A blinding one. I need to hide my eyes.

Then thunder.

I look behind him.

Oh no.

An explosion wave rages at us.

No!

"Dad! We need to get away!"

Still no reaction.

I try to turn around. I can't move.

It is the first time I notice that there further buildings behind my dad, which resemble this temple, but are also completely different. The wave destroys one after another.

No. No! No, no, no!

The wave reaches us. My dad gets pulverized in front of my eyes.

NOOOO!

…

Nothing. The wave had shaped a whirl around me. Everything is destroyed and only dust remained.

And then the whirl collapses onto me and the darkness comes back.


	9. Black Banshee

Greetings again. This is the second, still one to go

Hope you like it.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.

* * *

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter VIII:** Black Banshee

Finally we see our goal.

"This is it?" I ask.

"Yeah.", Monkey replies.

"This is a comet." Crane states.

"Yeah, we see it. We hawe eyes." Mantis replies.

The comet was an unknown one, who is circling a sun far away from Jade Station. His coma and tail was rather strong.

"From where do you have this information?" I ask Monkey and Mantis.

"From…Jacky." Monkey admits.

"Jacky the Rabbit?" Viper asks surprised. She isn't the only one.

"Yeah.", Mantis approves.

"Jacky is a smuggler, thief and what is most important a liar." Viper explains the fact, we all know.

"Yeah, but I don't think she lied this time." Monkey explains.

"And why do you think this?" Crane wants to know.

"Because it should hawe been a joke. She wanted to laugh about Banshee. He seems to have screwed big things up for an employer of the Melsat Oligarchy and that is why he is hiding in his old hideout." Mantis explains.

"A comet?" I ask to be sure.

"Yeah.", Monkey replies.

I think a while about this.

"Rather original hideout that I must admit." I turn around, "Viper can you contact him?"

Viper looks at her computer. "No. The coma around the comet is too strong. No channels are coming through."

"As well as sensor data, Captain." Crane adds.

I nod.

"Well then we need to do this in the old and traditional way. Monkey, Mantis to the Hangar. Crane, you are in charge."

And so we leave the Bridge.

I hate spacesuits. They are always itching.

"Have we reached the surface of the Comet already?" I ask Monkey who is wearing a golden-silver spacesuit like Mantis and different to my red-silver one.

"No, you will notice it, Captain." he replies.

I grumble. I hate to wait.

We took a Standard Space-Shuttle for this mission. Aerodynamic and rather well to navigate even in comas of comets. Also rather small and agile, but there for only Standard weaponry.

The Shuttle begins to shake.

"We entered the coma of the comet, Ma'Am.", Monkey says too late.

"I noticed." I reply while holding myself to my seat in the back of the Shuttle.

It passes a while till the flight gets smoother again.

"We passed the coma and are coming closer to its surface. Many ice and rocks down there." Monkey replies from the Cockpit.

"Understood. Can you open a channel?"

"No, Ma'am. Some artificial interference on this comet. The Sensors are still unable to see anything further a far than five meters."

"I see….It would be better, when we would put on our casques."

I begin to put on this thing consisting of high-quality glass, several layers of fabric and tubes, which I connect to the Air Machine of my back.

Two hours. I hope this is enough.

"I begin the landing process…." we hear nothing, "We have landed. And dear passengers, when you look outside of your windows, you will see in front, back, left and right nothing more than ice and rocks."

"Stop the jokes." I say while standing up and going to the Blaster Locker and taking out a blaster, "We should be prepared for anything. Don't want to be surprised by an inhospitable host."

Monkey puts on his casque and takes a blaster as well, but Mantis like always trusts in his invisibility and fighting skills.

I open the back door of the Shuttle and point my Blaster outside.

Nothing.

We all come out slowly. We activate our lights, which are installed at the casques, because the light reflection at this place is not good.

"Like I said: Ice and rocks." Monkey repeats.

"I heard it the first time." I take out my portable Analyzer, "The Analyzers are not working here. We need to look for him."

"This can end in a rather hilarious and long lasting searching quest, Ma'Am.", Mantis says.

I ignore it, while we are looking around.

Something comes into my mind…

"The distance of the Communicators is limited to a few meters.", I say after checking, "So we need to stay close and remember where we parked." I look around, "We are going this way."

And so we start our search. The first direction I picked only, because it was in front of me. And so we didn't find a clue for at least half an hour. But the view didn't change.

"Something is telling me, that we are not even close to our target." Monkey states rather bored.

Normally I would put him in place, but this time I can't. He is probably right.

I growl only.

Then I see something. A red light…Oh no…

"Down!" I yell and fortunately they react almost immediately, when the shooting begins.

I cover myself behind an ice rock close to me, while the others behind a rock right on the other side of this automatic machine gun shooting position. It stops firing after a while.

I try to look behind my cover and see the gun, which was hidden beneath the snow. It starts shooting after it had noticed me.

After I was in cover again the shooting stops.

"Seems to hawe wisible sensors, Captain. Maybe I can trick them." Mantis declares and I nod.

He jumps down from Monkey's shoulder and runs rather fast for a small guy like him to the gun. It notices him already too late. He had passed it, so it needs to turn around. This moment I and Monkey use to take our Blasters and fire. The Gun gets destroyed and lands almost on Mantis.

"We seem to be close." Monkey corrects himself after a while.

I nod.

We are marching further. From time to time, we activate further such automatic guns, but no one is able to adapt to Mantis' speed. In this way we shoot them all down.

After we met our fifth one, a flying drone appears from nowhere and begins to transmit a holographic projection of a bat.

"Stop doing this! I have seen you already….Or not? At least I noticed you. The Automatics are deactivated." Banshee yells at us.

He is a rather big bat with red diving goggles on his head and black pants. No shirt.

I stand up, after I determined if the guns were really deactivated. Only to be sure.

"What the Star Fleet wants from me to send you?"

I put away the blaster to its place, while I answer: "Nothing. But I want to know something from you, Banshee."

"But I don't want to have you in my secret hideout!"

"You have the choice: Either you let us in, cause you are indebted to me or we shoot our way to you through your Automatics, which are probably rather troublesome to install on an icy rock like this."

He looks down. "Let me think." he answers and his image disappears.

"What do you think: How will he decide?" Monkey asks Mantis.

"Hopefully wise. I don't want to run always." Mantis replies panting.

The image reappears.

"Fine. I let you in. Follow the drone."

We follow the drone. The view still not changes. Big icy rocks or even small hills and so on.

We end up in a dead end.

"And now?" I want to know.

"Good Landing." the image replies and vanishes.

We look at us startled, before we lose the ground from our feet.

We fall and land hard.

"I get him for this." Monkey states after a while moaning and I need to approve. Above us is closing an iris shaped hatch.

Oh no…

We fall again and land hard, after the second hatch had opened.

We stand up in this dark room and are massaging our backs. Finally another automatic door opens and our blind host welcomes us.

"So what do you want from me?"

Before he can react I grab his neck, choke it shortly and then throw him at the ground. Hard like I hope.

"First taking revenge." I reply, while undressing my casque. The other two follow my lead.

"Okay, okay this I have deserved." Banshee replies, while beginning to fly upwards again, "But why are you here?"

"We need your knowledge about some matters." I reply.

I tell him what we know.

He holds his cheek with one of the wings, while floating in the air thanks to the other….Not bad.

"Hmm…Interesting. I have not thought about going to this auction, but now when you mention it…"

"So you don't know, what this code can mean? Our inwestigation was rather fruitless…", "Shht!" I stop Mantis from saying further discreet information, which we need for our talk here.

Obviously Banshee heard it.

"So you don't know how to crack this code? He he, so you need me. What I will get for helping you?"

Damn. I think….seems like I have only one choice.

"When you help us think of the debts you have by us as forgotten."

The bat doesn't show his joy.

"Okay. Follow me."

So we follow him. This whole hideout is completely dark and we need to look out that we don't lose him as well as don't hit the hard surface of the metal walls.

"Hawe you no lights in here?" Mantis asks the obvious.

"Don't need any." Banshee replies.

"But when you have…employers here or something like that?" Monkey helps Mantis.

Banshee stops in his track and turns around.

"True, I haven't asked you, how you have found me…Was this Jacky?"

We can only nod after a little hesitation.

"I see. I need to rethink, who I will trust such discreet information in the future."

"Oh you don't need…" Mantis tries to help Jacky.

"This is a hideout. A secret one. This is not planned for showing my employers." he replies the question from before and flies further.

…

I should concentrate on the matter better. Jacky is not important for now.

Finally we reach a bigger room, where some small lights are on at the edges.

I don't lose sight of Black Banshee, while he flies to a computer and taps in it something.

"So do you know who this Shadow Cloak is?" I try to inquire.

"Not a clue. A nobody like it looks. No info about him in the Net as well. He appeared with this message."

"How will the other guys react, who heard this message?"

"Probably going to the auction. A Jade Orb is nothing, you have the chance to get every day, you know? But they will not go alone."

I see…

A holographic image appears and Banshee looks at it. It is the one, we heard already.

He looks at it and when it ends he let the message repeat, which is telling the coordinates.

After the second time he chuckles.

"I see. An easy one."

"You know, what this code means?"

"Yes. It needs to be easy or the dumb ones wouldn't understand it. And somehow the dumb ones have much money rather too often."

This surprises me.

"How is this possible? Even Crane and Viper…"

"You have ordered Crane and Viper to do it? Hah, there lies the answer to your question: both of them are not dumb."

"So you are?" Mantis says chuckling, but stops after a glare from me.

"No. But I have some experience with such codes, not like your precious Crane and Viper."

"So what it means?"

"Simply: The words are standing for the things you need to look at: First the Nebula, then the Star System, followed by the Planet name and by the more exact location of the Planet itself."

…I get it. It is really simple.

"So Snow needs to indicate on Nix Nebula. Nix means snow." Monkey figures out.

"Yes and further? Are there Star Systems with a blizzard in their name?" Mantis inquires.

Banshee activates a stellar map.

After further tapping the Nix Nebula is showed. It looks like a snowflake.

…Finally the computer finds something.

"´Blizzard Sloth Star System`?", Monkey states not without a proper humor.

"An original name." Mantis replies.

"Further. Which planet has something to do with a storm?" I say rapidly.

"The sixth one: Storming Elephant.", Banshee declares after a while, "And the continent is the third biggest one, where the highest peak of the planet is located. And now look how it was called: Snow Blizzard Storming Peak."

That it is! It needs to be.

"There we need to go! Let's go. We have no endless time."

"When I would be you, I would not be going." Banshee declares after we reached the exit of the room.

I turn around.

"And why?"

He chuckles.

"Because the worst scum of the galaxy will be present there. The worst criminals and probably all the guys, who hate Jade Republic and what it is standing for."

…I see.

"We still need to go."

He sighs after a while.

"Yes, you need. Hero duty, what? At least my debts are paid."

I nod after a hesitating moment.

"So good luck." he ends the conversation not without a little sarcasm in it.

Hope we will not need it.


	10. Prison Break

And this is the last one. The next update is on Friday.

Hope you like it.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.

* * *

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter IX:** Prison Break

Why am I so greedy always?

This damn greed had brought me here.

In this damn small cell. No bracer-blasters. No staff. No glasses. No money.

…I could cry.

I look up.

And there is the second reason for my misery: This big fat and sleeping panda. Since the battle he lost consciousness.

The first battle I have lost…..Doesn't feel so bad…

…If I wouldn't have ended up here!

"Uhh…"

Oh he seems to wake up.

"What…What happened?" he mutters slowly, holding his head while standing up.

"Have you lost your memory as well as your consciousness back then?" I asked him sarcastically.

He turns his head to me. While he was sleeping on one of the two beds here, I am leaning against the wall closest to the shields, which stop me from leaving this cell.

"You….What are you…Where am I?"

"Have you never been in a cell?"

"No! Of course not!"

"Congratulations. This streak is over."

"Wha…" slowly he gets it, "We are in a cell?...I am in a cell? Why? I am not a criminal!"

"Oh you are."

"What? Since when?"

"Since I declared that you are my accomplice-in-crime. For minor punishment."

"You did what?"

"I will not repeat it."

The panda stands up and seems rather angry.

"I am not your accomplice!"

"Yeah, I know. But no one else will believe you. And by the way…" I stand up to him, "…your help is one of the reasons for me being here. So in a way, you were my accomplice."

I sit down on the other bed. He stares at me.

"…I can't believe it."

"Believe it. You have no other options."

He lowers his head and grabs it again, before he shakes it.

"How we end up here anyway? I remember only this explosion…and three slim shadowy figures…"

"These figures were beautiful kitties." I remember this nice memory, "There were three of them and before I could recover from this explosion they sent me to sleep so that I could dream about them."

He looks at me with a disgusted look.

…I think I said too much. I cough slightly and then look away from him.

"Okay….What will happen with us now?"

I think about this.

"I was never caught before, but I think first we will get a visit by Admiral Shifu."

"For what reason?"

"We did a capital offence. There for he needs to interrogate us."

"…That is good then I can explain…"

"And then we end up in a high-security prison."

"What?"

"Yeah, Shifu will ask us about how I did the crime. And because you have no idea about this and I will not talk, he will send us there till he gets what he wants."

"But I am innocent!"

"Yeah, but not after my statement. Shifu will not believe you and you will end up in prison like me."

He seems to be angrier than before now. And then he grabs his head again and moans.

"Have you migraine or something like this?" I ask curious.

"No…actually not…but since I touched the Orb it started…"

"What?" I stood up immediately, "What did you say?"

"Eh…since I touched the Orb…"

"You touched the Orb?"

"Yeah…there was a short and intensive electroshock and then I had an odd dream. And then I lost consciousness. But what of it?"

I can't believe it.

"Do you want to ass me?"

"What?"

Shit. I forgot that this sentence is my creation.

"Are you shitting me?"

"No, of course not…why?"

"No one can touch a Jade Orb without dying."

"What?"

I chuckle in a negative manner.

"Jade Orbs are big energy sources. No one knows from where they get this energy, but it seems to be endless. No one can touch a Jade Orb with bare hands and hoping to live after this. The Energy shoots from the hand to the body and pulverizes it in an instant."

He looks like he had a brush with the death.

…Maybe this isn't only a metaphor in his case, when he was right.

"So how the hell you can still stand, think, talk and screw things up, when you should be dead already?"

He falls on his ass.

"I…I…don't know….Really…."

I lean back again. And then I realize something.

I stare at him.

"From where do you know that this thing is called ´Orb`? You called it ball the last time."

He looks startled.

"…I…I don't know. I know it simply."

"Do you want to ass me?"

"No, I said it already… I don't know from where I know this….But…"

"What?"

"I had a really odd dream right now. About my dad. About stars and planets. And temples and green lights. It was the second time I had such a dream…uhhh…since touching the Orb…"

Then his look gets something like determination.

"We need to get out here."

"Ah, really? Wouldn't have thought this. But the cops had taken away my equipment, so it will not happen."

He stands up and goes to the shield at the entrance. What he wants to do?

He stretches out his hand to the shield….Idiot.

He touches and the energy strikes it back.

"Ahh….what a pain."

"That was a brilliant plan." I reply sarcastically.

He glares at me and then tries it again. I shake my head, while he forces his hand to hold it in the shield.

….Surprisingly he doesn't get struck back again. And…is the shield fluctuating?

I stand up and get closer.

…Yes it is and the fluctuation gets stronger.

What the hell?

Then we hear an explosion and the shield gets deactivated. He had overloaded the shield generator!

….Wow.

He grabs his hand and pants. The hand is burned…wait a minute…..what the hell? It heals in a much too rapid way.

I stare at him.

"What…are you?"

He looks back smiling.

"I don't know. But we need to use this opportunity."

Like on the right timing, the alarm starts and the light changes to red.

Shit!

I run forward.

"Follow me! We need to get my things!"

"No, we have no time for this. Better I have no time for this. I choose the fastest way out without you, when you have nothing against it."

I have nothing against it, but I must admit that my curiosity is awoken.

"I know the way out here and when you don't want to fight against dozens of cops alone, you should better follow me."

He hesitates first, but decides to follow me then.

I sneak to the next corner, where the exit is. I smell the cop, who is running to us.

I signal to stop and sneak closer to the edge.

At the right timing I grab the surprised police officer, whirl him around and dash him against the wall hard.

He passes out.

I grab his Blaster….these scumbags! This blaster is switched to killing. I change it.

Before we can pass the corner, I sense two further cops. I sneak against the corner again and then whirl around fast. As fast as it is possible I detect the cops, who are both without cover and fire two times.

I don't need to mention that these were two hits.

"See and Gape. That is the work of a professional."

We pass the corner and reach the lift, which leads us upwards, rather fast. No further cops in the Cell floor of this Police Station.

We enter the lift.

No power.

Shit!

"It seems the alarm deactivates the energy of this floors lifts automatically." I say and look back to Po.

"Can I?" Po asks and touches the projector

Something like a green aura envelops around his hand and the projector and shortly after it, the lift has power again

…I don't know how he did this, but somehow I don't care anymore. We take the lift and are welcomed at the other end by a horde of police officers, who are aiming at us.

Shit, shit, shit!

They shoot and I begin to see my life in front of my eyes, but….What the hell?

A green aura, which had taken shape in front of Po, is protecting us against the blaster fire. I am not the only one surprised. I think Po is as well.

I take my opportunity and begin shooting below this aura and I hit. Before the cops can react to this, I have shot down all of them.

"To the right." I order, while we leave the lift. There are still more cops. Po is protecting my back, while I shoot them down from the front. No one of them seems to be ready for such a thing.

We reach the room, where evidence is stored. I open it and get in.

"Close the door!" I order Po.

I find my things rather fast.

"Hurry! Before they can regroup." Po warns me.

I grin.

"That will be not a problem anymore." I reply while putting my glasses on. I click the button on them and I see like they get activated. Finally my hacker glasses are active again.

Splendid.

Po looks at me.

"So? Can we go?"

"Wait a minute. I am uploading myself into their system."

"What are you doing?"

It is finished. Now I am controlling this station.

I activate the power again, open the exits and….wow this they have also. Idiots, that they didn't use it.

"Open the door." I say and Po does it with a little hesitation.

Like expected we are welcomed from the path, we had come, by many blasters aiming at us.

But this will not work anymore.

They fire and the shield, which I have activated, repels the shots.

I grin.

"This way. I have secured it completely."

And so we get away.

Hah, and I have thought not to buy these glasses back then.

Without my claim that my last employer should pay more I couldn't buy it in general.

Ha. Greed one, humility zero.

The world is right once again.


	11. Leaving Jade Station

Chapter X. The round number is complete. Enjoy it

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.

* * *

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter X:** Leaving Jade Station

I can't believe it!

We have escaped a whole Police Station!

And I was an important reason for this….Never in my life I would have expected something like this.

Also to have such powers.

I still don't know from where I have them. But using them feels…right.

Although I did something really bad with them. But coming into a prison…even without these new feelings, I wouldn't want to go there. Escape was the only option.

And when I talk about escape: After we left Police Station, we stole a Police floating car. We drove not far with it. We abandoned it in some alley.

Now we are running somewhere.

"Where are we going?"

"To my ship." Cien replies.

I still not get, why I have allied with this guy. He is responsible for me getting into this cell in the first place.

"Where is your ship?"

"There were no one would search."

More than this cryptic answer I don't get.

But it is not close to the Police Station that is for sure.

I begin to have trouble with breathing.

Hahu, hahu…

We need still avoid patrols of the Police. I bet after what we did back then in the Police Station, every police officer of Jade Station is behind us.

We reach the end of the District.

Damn! I think at least eight Police officers are waiting there and the huge gate is closed.

"What should we do now?" I ask Cien.

"Be patient."

He glares at the gate for some time and then…it opens. The Police Officers look at it surprised and Cien uses this opportunity. He attacks the officers with his Blasters, while running at them. He doesn't stop, but can still hit all of them by one hit. For the last two he needs to slide even, but he gets them.

I follow him, while he runs further.

We are now in the Connection Tunnel between the Districts. They are also called Wormholes and normally above us many cars would drive, but cause of the closing it is empty. The other gate is seen already, but Cien stops in the middle of the Tunnel.

"Hey, what are you doing?"

He had knelt and begins to belabor the ground, where something like a closed opening seems to be.

"Below this are the Upkeep Tunnels. No one besides the Mechanics of the Station know about them." Cien explains.

"And there is your ship?" I ask disbelieving.

He grins only at me, while forcing the opening to get open again.

He jumps down, while I come closer to look there.

It goes down far…Uhh...

I hold myself against the edge of the opening, while climbing it down. God it is good, that these seem to be planned for bigger guys as well.

I come down slowly….slowly…Ahhhhhhh….

…

Uhh…hard ground.

I lost the grip. Fortunately it went down not so far like I thought.

I stand up slowly and look around. In every direction is a road and no one of them is very high.

But there is another problem…

"Cien?...Cien?! Where are you?"

From one of the roads he reappears after a while.

"For what are you waiting for? Have you forgotten that we are chased?"

I go to the tunnel he took. It is very narrow.

"Is this not too narrow?"

He looks at me.

"These tunnels are planned for an average guy, but the last thing you are is average. You need to squeeze through."

I look at some of the sharp ends of the walls.

"Is there no other path?"

"Yeah there is one." he replies and I hope, "Getting up again and surrender to the Police. If you not squeeze through this I abandon you here."

He turns around and goes the tunnel further.

"Wait…" I say and begin to squeeze me through the tunnel.

…

It is even narrower than I expected.

Ow….

I need to suck my stomach even more….

….

Come on…

….

I don't get air….

….

Air!

….

Through!...Oh god.

I look up, where Cien is waiting.

"Finally. Come." he says only and turns around to go further. I am now in a room for operating, but the path is followed by further narrow Tunnels.

Noooooooooooo….

After squeezing through several such Tunnels – I think I become claustrophobic – we reach a ladder downwards.

"Come we are almost there." Cien declares and begins to climb it down.

I sigh and follow him. At least this tunnel down is not so narrow.

We reach another operating room with something like a hatch at its ground.

"Where…where are we?" I ask panting. This whole thing had exhausted me more than I thought.

"The Main Operating Room for this Wormhole. From here you get everywhere in the Wormhole and that is why there is a second entrance from space. For ships."

"And here…is your ship?"

"It wasn't. It was in another Main Operating Room, a less visited one. But that is not a problem."

He begins to untwist the hatch.

"Hey what are you doing? Do you want that we die?"

"Not even in a million years. Above all with you close to me. My life is valuable."

…that hurt.

He opens it and….we still breathe.

I look down. The interior of a ship is seen there.

"What?" I wonder.

Cien grins only and begins to climb down the ladder of the ship. I follow him after a while.

We reach a big corridor from where four roads lead: To the front of the ship, where the Cockpit seems to be; to the back, where a ladder down is and an exit; and to left and right, where further corridors are, from which doors to rooms lead.

Suddenly a blue holographic image appears in front of me. It is a vixen. She has light-blue skin, a peaky mouth, deep blue eyes and a thick Sideswept Bang, which is hiding her eyes partially. She wears nothing, but there are digital channels are running through her body.

….Wow…

She inspects me.

"Cien, who is our guest?" the image asks with a melodious voice.

"Po. And this is Aijna, the Artificial Intelligence, which body we entered right now."

I look at him surprised.

"An Artificial Intelligence as the Main Computer? Where do you have such a thing? I didn't know that something like this exists even."

"The thing has a name." Aijna growls at me.

..Oops…I think I didn't make a friend right now.

I look back at Cien, who seems to be more amused than earlier since we entered the Ship. He goes to the Cockpit, while I follow him.

The Cockpit is not big: A Front window, computers in front of it and two seats. Cien sits down where the seat of the Captain seems to be. I want to sit down right beside him, but Aijna appears there sitting.

"This is my seat." she growls again.

Cien chuckles.

"You need to stay, Po. Aijna, Close the Upper Exit and decouple us from there. And prepare the Overdrive. We need to get away from here."

"You don't say! The whole Station is on its feet cause of you two, you know this? I thought even to bust my way in with a little force to free you."

"Bust the way in?" I ask disbelievingly.

"Yeah she is the type of woman who acts first and thinks after." Cien declares amused, while blue holographic controllers appear in front of him, in which he puts his hands in.

"What! Only because I can think faster than you all, you think always that I am not thinking before acting. I calculate more about my doings than every living person could imagine." Aijna replies indignantly.

"Yeah, yeah…" Cien replies only, while we leave slowly the shell of the Station.

"Aren't the security systems seeing us?" I ask.

"No. Invisibility Systems." Cien replies, while we leave Jade Station slowly.

…

To think about this: It is my first time leaving it. My whole life happened there…and now I am leaving it, because a criminal panther had lied about me….Life goes odd ways sometimes.

"Which coordinates I should type in?" Aijna asks.

"Hmm…Maybe Eric's Station?" Cien suggests.

"No, we need to go somewhere else." I object. Both of them look at me startled.

"And where do you intend to go?" Cien asks suspiciously.

"There were the Jade Orb is of course."

He keeps silent first.

"And you know where this is?"

"Yeah…" I reply and begin to type it in the computer. Cien looks confused.

"From where do you know these coordinates?"

…I think about this and realize something.

Cien looks at me knowing.

"Let me bet: You have no idea."

I nod. From where I have this knowledge…?

Cien looks at Aijna.

"Where are these coordinates leading us?"

"To the Forsaken Nebulas. Unsettled territory."

Then Cien looks at his computer.

"Somehow Eric's sounds better."

No…

"No, we need to get the Orb back!"

"And why? You don't know it, isn't it so?"

"No this time I know it!" I reply loudly and then begin quieter, "Touching the Orb changed something in me. I need to know what. And…"

"And?"

I gulp.

"Maybe I will find out what happened with my dad in this way."

"And how do you know this? You dreamed about him."

"Yeah, but….since the touching my dreams are different from normal. I know this. These are not normal dreams, but…visions."

No reaction first. Then Cien chuckles and shakes his head.

"Should I check him?" Aijna replies amused.

"Yeah, wouldn't harm him." Cien replies confidently.

"No. I am not mad! We need to get the Orb back. We….You are indebted to me! Without my help you wouldn't escape out of the cell."

"And without my help you would? I admit that your help was valuable there, but you are indebted to me in the same way like I am to you. We are square."

"You have declared me to your accomplice! It is because of you I am not able to live a normal life anymore! It is your fault."

Cien still shakes his head…..Damn! I need to convince him….

"There….are riches…." I mutter slowly.

I think his ears become sharper.

"I knew where you can find riches. Mountains of Gold, Silver, Platinum, gems and much more…."

"And from where do you know this?"

"I know it simply. From where I don't know, but this knowledge is there."

I believe he thinks about this.

Finally he replies: "Agreed. I help you getting the Orb back and you lead me to these riches."

"Agreed!"

Yes!

"I load the coordinates….5 seconds till Overdrive….4…3…2…1…"

And then we enter the Overdrive.

I see like the stars fade. The Stars I watched always with joy.

I know that Jade Station fades away as well.

I ask myself, if I will see it once again….Maybe, when times change…

But for now: Farewell Jade Station.

I am going on a journey.


	12. The Auction

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XI:** The Auction

_Nix Nebula; Blizzard Sloth Star System;__ Sixth Planet: __Storming Elephant__; Third Continent: __Snow Blizzard Storming Peak_

_Few days later…_

It is stinking here.

And the reason for this isn't only this fast constructed bar. It was built on this snowy peak, where a plateau was actually. Enough space for several Ships, which have landed outside as well as we.

"Puh…it is really hard to breathe in here." Viper says after she reaches my table.

"Yeah, cause of the crowd in here." I reply.

"I know, Crane. I have not even the half of these guys on my list."

"Who have you found?"

"Besides some small fries, Fung and his Gang."

I chuckle.

"They are the kings of the small fries."

"The most stubborn small fries of all them." Viper continues my joke.

We chuckle together, but stop after some guards pass us. They are everywhere: Soldiers wearing Black Armor Suits and High-Quality rifles. Their faces are hidden behind a shaded casque. I bet these suits can be used as spacesuits as well.

They are prepared for everything. Even weapons needed to be given away at the entrance.

I look at Viper. She still looks beautiful despite the fact that she wears now dirty street-wear instead of her uniform as well like me. Her green-blue eyes are shining even in the darkness of this bar.

"After this bar I will need a proper shower." Viper states.

"Yeah, me too. Maybe we…", further I don't come. Monkey and Mantis reappear. They are wearing their street-wear, in which I had found them, again.

"So who have you found?" Viper asks as the first.

"Old Friends." Monkey replies, "Fenghuang is here and she had seen us almost. As well Taotie and Junjie."

"And we hawe found someone unexpected as well." Mantis continues, "It seems that Lang Laoban is here as well."

"Who?" Viper asks.

"Lang Laoban? The Right Hand of Lord Shen?" I need to confirm.

"Exactly this guy.", Mantis approves.

…that is not a good development.

"Wait a minute. Can someone enlighten me?" Viper interrupts my thoughts.

"Lord Shen was the former Minister of Defense of the Zhu Empire. Eight years ago he tried to take over the Empire, but was stopped by Captain Tai Lung. Since then he vanished."

"I see…I get why he seems to be so interesting. By the way: Isn't it Commodore Tai Lung?"

"No. That was his first mission as a Captain." Monkey explains.

"Seems that you need to go out with us more often. In this way you here this and that." Mantis says chuckling.

Normally Viper would glare at him, but this time she glares at me…

Iieks….I should plan to take her out on a date after this mission.

"We need to inform the Captain of this change of situations. You stay here." I say out loud.

I leave our table and squeeze me through stinking boars, Felines, which last shower needs to be long time ago, Canines, which smell out of the mouth, and much more I don't want to mention.

"Sorry.", a stinking panda passes beside me.

I shake my head only.

I reach the exit. Two guards are standing there, but the doors are open.

They don't stop me getting through. Outside I see the reason: Several guys have left the building and all of them are informing some of their bosses.

Odd that I am doing the same like these criminals.

I reach our shuttle, open and enter it.

"Computer: Tap-proof connection to the Furious. High Sensibility."

"Understood."

I close the door and sit down at the seat to the Computer. The holographic image of Captain Tigress appears.

"Report."

"We have identified some of the guests. Fung and his Gang, Fenghuang, Taotie, Junjie and some more…"

The Captain holds her chin.

"Seems like our usual Suspects are gathered at one place."

I nod.

"Yeah. We have identified another one: Lang Laoban."

She doesn't look surprised, but I know her well enough to know that she is.

"So Lord Shen seems to be back."

"Seems so."

"I remember like my brother told me that Shen was working on a weapon. A dangerous weapon, with which he could destroy Jade Station. I ask myself, if he has still his plans." she makes a break, "Even when not. No one of these guys is allowed to get the Jade Orb. Stick with the plan."

"Understood.", I reply and the image disappears.

I leave the shuttle and realize that the guys here are going inside the bar again.

It seems something is happening there. I run back and reach it in time, before they close the door. Most of the guest have gone to their tables or are waiting at the back. It is even harder to squeeze through them.

The tribune at the opposite end of the bar is lightened now. Fog appears and slowly a shadowy figure comes out of the ground.

…I think he is using a darkening module. When I reach the others he deactivates it.

A figure like the guards appear, but much taller. And he has red eyes and wears a black cloak.

"Welcome Ladies and Gentleman to my auction. My name is Shadow Cloak.", he introduces himself again with this distorted voice.

He steps from the platform, in which he appeared and continues talking: "I am glad to see that so many have got my invitation. I see some known faces. There we have Ragan, the Pig, who has vandalized in more than a dozen systems." he begins to clap and everyone climbs on it, "And there I see Rodrigo the God of Lying, who has simplified the life of many nobles by taking away their money. And there is Tong Fo, the Mastermind, who had planned a plundering attack on the Home World of the Melsat Oligarchy and succeeded. And even got away by leaving behind his own comrades. How cruel. And there is the lovely Fenghuang…"

The way he says these words, it sounds like he adores these guys. But he tells nothing about the fact that all of them were in prison as well at least once.

He continues his bootlicking, while the platform reappears: On a pedestal is the Orb, flying in something like a Magnetic Field.

"Ah, finally, the reason for your coming. Like you can see it is real. Every one of you can use its Analyzers to prove this."

I hear like everyone takes out their tools. I look at Viper.

She had looked at her Analyzer and nods now. It is real.

I look at Mantis. Mantis nods and disappears in the crowd. When everything goes according to plan, soon our backup will land here and we can arrest every one of them.

"So I think everyone has confirmed the authenticity of this lovely full energized gem. So we can start the auction.", Shadow Cloak continues and stands now right in front of the Orb, "The rules are simple: Who wants to bid, raises his or her hand and tells us in a normal volume how much. Only one at a time will bid. No discussions. No quarreling after it. Who stick by the rules doesn't need to meet my friends here."

He points at two further guards, who need to be gorillas or bears or something different big obviously.

"Now we begin. The lowest bid is at 10.000 Jewels. Who bids 10.000 Jewels?"

"Me!" a crocodile hand is raised. Fung had bided.

"100.000!" Tong Fo bids.

"200.000!" Ragan bids.

"300.000!" Fenghuang bids.

And in this way it continues. It passes 1.000.000 Jewels in a short time.

…

Still no backup. Mantis hurry up.

"10 Million!" a voice out of the crowd tells. We slowly recognize that it is Lang Laoban.

Everyone looks at him surprised. The bid was around 5.000.000 before him.

"20 Million!" Junjie replies, "And this is my last word."

From where such criminals have so much money always? I would be happy already when my wage would be in the five-digits.

Junjie glares at Lang Laoban, who smiles at him.

"25 Million." he replies and I hear like Junjie curses.

The room gets quiet again.

Now everyone looks at the host Shadow Cloak.

"25 Million, to the first,….to the second,….and….to the third. The Auction is over. The winner is the wolf gentleman in the front. Come up here please."

He stands up; followed by two further wolves….where is the backup?

Before he reaches the tribune, another guard – this time slimmer – leaves the backstage with an Analyzer in her hands…What is going on?

Lang Laoban had stopped and looks at them suspiciously.

She whispers in Shadow Cloaks ear. He nods and whispers something back.

Then loud again to his guests.

"It seems that our little gathering was betrayed. A Task Force of a Star Fleet Ship is attacking us right now. It would be better when everyone reaches for his or her weapons and leave this place immediately."

First there is silence. Then it gets loud and everyone takes out their hidden weapons. Good that we have some as well. I look at everyone.

"Damn! We seem to be exposed. Grab the hidden Blasters and let us enter the party before all birds fly out."

We grab our Blasters.

The party begins.

* * *

11 Friends you need to be. :) The Next chapter. Enjoy it.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	13. Hot Party on Cold Peak

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XII:** Hot Party on Cold Peak

We are coming closer.

Five Shuttles crewed with as many armed Crew Members as it was possible and a Squadron of Jets is my whole Task Force. The Furious' Sensors hadn't detected any Ground Defense, so the Fighter's Duty was to look out, if someone wants to escape.

Hope that everything works as it should. The start of snowing was not a part of it.

"30 Seconds till Ground Contact.", the Pilot of the Shuttle, Crewman Donkey, announces loud.

"Understood.", I say and look at the Crewmen in this Shuttle. All of them are in Battle suits, like me.

"Put on the Casques." I order to them, while doing it myself.

"Ma'am, a further message of Lieutenant Mantis: They know the score." the pilot informs me.

Damn! Faster than expected.

"Okay listen to me guys! Prepare for fire from the Enemy. Use the Shuttles for protection as long as possible, but don't forget the priority mission: No Ship is allowed to leave this place. Understood?"

"Understood!" all of them shout.

I nod.

"10 seconds till Ground Contact. We get shot by Blaster Fire."

The rumbling of our Shuttle proves it.

I turn around to the others again.

Still 5 seconds. 4...

3…we hear like the Blasters get louder…

2…the Rumbling gets stronger….

1…I hear Blaster Fire from the Cockpit…

0….The noise of landing is heard.

The back door opens, snow is coming in and the noise of Blaster Fire is much louder now. First Blaster shots are seen there already as well.

"Go! Go! Go!" I yell at them.

The First leaves the Shuttle slowly and looking to the side, where the fire is coming from. He begins to shoot there and leaves the shuttle. Further Crew members follow him and the Blaster fire from this direction decreases. The remaining Team jump to the other ships, which are found here, for protection and slowly the Shuttle gets empty.

"Computer, Direct Connection to Commander Crane.", I order the Casque Computer before I leave the Shuttle. The fire is coming now from the other side, where I turn to. I jump to the next ship and realize how many enemies there are.

Everywhere on this snowy Plateau are ships as well as my Crewman, who are firing to the direction of the Building, behind my cover in the front.

I fire few times, when I hear a loud noise above me. One of the Jets was shot down and is trying to crash land outside the peak. How could this happen?

Before I can think about it further, in the right corner of my casque the blue face of Crane appears.

"Commander, Report."

"We are surrounded! No time to talk long, Ma'am, but Backup would be good."

"Understood. Computer Direct Connection to Sergeant Bulls-Eye.", I order the Casque Computer to connect me to my military adviser for Ground Battle.

Shortly after the face of a young Hawk is shown.

"Ma'am?"

"How is your situation?" I ask, while a Blaster shot hits the surface of the ship, I am leaning at.

"The enemy is nagging us, Ma'am, but most of them have the worse cover and no armor at all. We will be able to overcome them in the next minutes."

"We have no minutes. The Infiltration Team is under Fire. They need Backup!"

"Understood."

"Computer Direct Connection to Lieutenant Commander Itachi.", I order the next time. The weasel face of my Jet Commander is shown. "Commander, Status of the Jets."

"Ma'am, we are under attack by other Jets."

"Other Jets? From where they have come?"

"The Computer is checking it right now…Wait a minute….Ma'am there is another ship! It is the…."

The Connection interrupts. "Commander? Commander?!" I yell, but no answer. DOH!

I look out of my cover: Two of my Shuttle Crewman had come back and are giving me fire support. The main source of enemy fire are at least two guys, who are covering behind an old and rusty ship.

I see another cover behind a rock, which rises above the snow further in the front.

"Focus Fire on these coordinates!" I order, while sending them through the Casque connection.

While the two fire now at the main source, a third one, who had come from behind, supports them.

I use the opportunity to charge fast.

…This snow is not making the things easier. I think my suit shield needs to redirect the one or two blaster fire at me, before I reach the rock, where I take cover.

I take a grenade and throw it behind me.

"Grenade!" they yell, but it is too late. The Electrical wave surrounds them and they faint.

I charge further not caring, if the others can follow me, and see finally the main building. These guys have taken the tables as cover and I see some Black guards there as well.

They are firing at a position behind some ships. No fire from there.

"Sergeant Bulls-Eye, Report!"

"Sorry Ma'am, we were stopped. These Soldiers in Black are heavily equipped. Dazing fire is useless. It will not be easy to overcome them. We can't throw the Wave Grenades, without risking overloading the door systems or even the ones of these building. But at least these guys are concentrating at us. For every other person the field is free."

In this point they are right. I could…

I sense something.

Before the Blaster had split my casque including my head, I dodge the fire and hit the attacker with my elbow. He trips backwards, while I charge him and grab his Blaster. I hit him again with an elbow and he loses his weapon. I push him away, punch his head one, two times and then sent him to the dreams with a fluid kick in his neck.

I look down at him and realize that his guy is finished. I don't even care, which race he is, while I go back to my observation post.

A route to the building is still free. Splendid.

And I see a window, armored, but not indestructible. I change my weapon from daze to destruction, the highest level, before I start to run. First they don't notice me, but they do at the latest when I begin shooting at the window. I need two aimed shots to destroy the window and that is not easy, when from everywhere they begin to fire at someone. But at some point I don't care anymore, I run only.

Then I take a jump and am through.

I don't know, where I have landed, but it looks like a kitchen and a surprised Panda looks at me.

I raise my weapon, but he can cover behind a table rather fast.

"Don't shoot! I am not your enemy!"

"As if!" I reply and begin to cover myself at the same table only on the other side. This kitchen is not very big.

"Listen! Your Crew is safe, but this Shadow Cloak Guy is making problems right now. He is the only one left on his feet outside. When we work together, we could…", before he can talk further, I have taken the longer route around the table and am aiming my Blaster at him.

He raises his arms immediately.

"Please! I give up! I don't want to fight you!" he yells.

I hesitate. He really doesn't look like a criminal with his big belly and so…But that can be a trick.

I change the Blaster back to daze and aim at him again, when he makes something with his fingers. A green wave hits me and I fly backwards.

…

Uhh….seems that I was out for a short time.

I look around. He is gone. Damn! Don't let yourself be distracted by the outer appearance Tigress the next time.

I get up and run to the door on the other side. In this point he was right: Shadow Cloak is the only one still standing. All the others are lying there dead or dazed, I don't know for sure.

I get into cover again, when Shadow Cloak notices me from the tribune.

I hear a chuckle.

"So we meet in this way, Captain Tigress.", he says while standing up. Once again only this suit is seen and not the person behind the mask and he begins to come to my direction, leaving his Blaster behind.

I look at my Blaster. Daze doesn't work, so…

I leave my cover slowly.

"So you are Shadow Cloak.", I say and raise my Blaster aiming at him.

"Daze doesn't work on me, Captain and I bet you don't want to kill me."

"Do you think Star Fleet Officers can't do this?" I ask him provoked, while switching to killing.

"No, but you will not kill your most needed informant and especially not, when I gave you a chance by leaving my Blaster behind. Your honor will not allow this."

Damn! He is right.

I lower my Blaster.

"You are right. I will not kill you. But I can still do…this!" I yell, throwing my Blaster at his head.

He blocks it, but I charge him already. I kick his head twice and he needs to step back. I try to thrust another kick into his chest, but he catches it in the midair. Before he can redirect it, I can kick his head again with the other foot.

He trips backwards, while I charge again, hitting again and again in his helmet. He dodges or blocks the attacks only, but doesn't counterattack.

Finally I can punch his helmet from his head.

I prepare to attack again,…

….No….

I trip backwards.

No!

"You!"

"Hello, Lil Sis.", Tai smiles back at me.

I am so confused that I can't speak.

"Sorry, Lil Sis, but I need to do this now."

He grabs a second Blaster from his belt on his back and fires.

My shield absorbs the damage, but the impact forces me to trip back.

He fires a second time.

I need to trip back again. The shots are hurting.

The systems of my suit indicate overloading of the shields.

This can't be. The weapon is switched to killing.

I look at him disbelievingly.

"Goodbye, Lil Sis."

And he fires once again.

* * *

The Hot number 12. :) I tried to create a Cliffhanger like Timbit the Lynx-Angel is known off. Have I accomplished it?

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	14. Inside

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XIII:** Inside

Po gets rematerialized in front of me.

"The second time I am doing this, but it is still awesome." he mutters.

"Have you the Orb?" I ask him.

"No, Cien. Plan A was a failure. They brought it on the ship."

"Funny, so we need to infiltrate the Roaring Dragon. And by we I mean Me.", I respond head shaking.

"Yes, Plan B. Like we had discussed it.", Po reminds me, while he steps from the Teleporting Platform.

I step on it.

"Are you ready, Cien?" Aijna asks me.

"Is someone ever ready to be cut into atomic pieces? Don't try to miss at least. I don't want to rematerialize inside a wall."

"Of course." she replies gleefully grinning.

I have a really bad feeling about this.

Then it begins.

…

Odd feeling.

Like you would put down weight.

The vision gets blurred.

…I don't feel like I am disappearing right now, although that is happening in this moment. I would have never guessed, that I had to use the invention of Eric for this instead the Orb.

…I feel something on my back.

Uhhh…

In front as well. I need to raise my leg a little, because of something below it, but it is hard, when there is no space in front of you.

The vision gets back and I see the wall of the Tunnel in front of me.

After a while my sensation normalizes again.

…

I hate it in here!

Too tight. Too less space to even move a muscle. The engineers, who have built these Upkeep Tunnels, have to be idiots. How small one needs to be to have no problems to crawl in here?

"Aijna, is the channel secured?" I say to no one in particular despite the communicator in my ear.

"….Secured. We can't talk too long, if you don't want to be found." Aijna replies in my ear.

"I know. After all it was my idea. Can you detect the Orb?"

"Yes. It is some decks below you. Need to be the Engine Room."

"I see. The fastest way to it?"

"Simply follow your nose."

"Understood. I contact you, when I need something more."

"Like always." she replies smugly.

I turn my head so I can see, what is above it. The tunnels are going further there and wider.

I curse. Why didn't you rematerialize me there Aijna?

With my legs, feet, arms, hands and head I try to crawl forward. Man, I haven't believed that it could be even more uncomfortable than it was already, but it is.

…Ow….

I hit an edge. Damn! Why something like this happens always, when you think it can't become worse anymore?

I crawl above it.

It is under my neck now. Here it fits.

Under my back…Ow…

Under my ass…..Get away there!

Under my knees…there it fits as well.

Finally I have reached the wider tunnel. Wide enough that I can crawl on my elbows and knees.

I turn around on my belly and stand up on them. The Tunnel is going only in one way.

So, let's go.

….

Crossroads. To left, right and front.

"Aijna, which way?"

"Right."

I follow the right one.

…Is this only me or is it getting downwards here?

…It is going downwards here and it becomes steeper!

Damn! I can't stop on this smooth metallic ground.

Oh no…There comes a hole. No, no. no….AHHHHH….

….

Ow…

I look up. At least now I am down.

"Thanks for the warning, Aijna."

No answer…

"Aijna?"

Still no answer. Shit!

…

I need to get further. Crawling into the unknown…Like I love this….

"When will you Master arrive?" I hear a voice and stop in the track immediately. The voice was the distorted one of Shadow Cloak and was coming from below.

"He will arrive soon. And wouldn't it be better, if you would unmask finally, Commodore Tai Lung?" an unknown cunning voice asks.

I hear something like an unmasking.

"Better to breathe fresh air again, isn't it?"

"Only a security matter. One lives dangerous as a Traitor." an aggressive voice tells, probably Tai Lung, "But to whom I tell this? Your Master and yourself Laoban should know it better than everyone else."

Laoban? Lang Laoban? So his master needs to be…

"Lord Shen has found a way to bypass it: Dying."

"Yeah, not everyone is so creative, don't you think?"

It comes a break.

"I must admit, that I was not sure about you, Tai Lung. Giving up your carrier as a Star Fleet Officer and even abandoning the family. But after I saw like you shot down, your own sister, it changed."

Captain Tigress is dead? Po will not be pleased…

"Sometimes a man needs to do, what a man needs to do. And my sister stepped into my way."

"So…what is your reason for betrayal at the end?"

"…I think that I will tell this, when I meet Lord Shen finally."

I hear like the voices become weaker. They seem to have walked further.

I need to go as well.

"Cien!"

I scream almost, when I hear this voice.

"Aijna, do you want to get me to a grave or what?"

"Sorry. My connection to you broke apart."

"Why?"

"The Computer of the Roaring Dragon had found my first Trojan. Still two to go, but its gets tighter for you. I don't think they know this, but we can't teleport through shields. So don't risk that they can activate them."  
"I know, I know, I heard the instruction of Eric as well. How far is my target?"

"You are almost there. Continue crawling."

I had expected this answer.

I curse again and crawl further.

Slowly but steady it becomes loud here. Engine noise, chatting as well and I see light.

I reach a latticed window, from where I can see the whole Engine Room. It is a circle in which center is the Antimatter Core. Computers and Security gadgets at the ground, above the blue shining Sphere, – in which the Antimatter-Matter-Reaction takes place – which is secured by further Electromagnetic Shields and above it are the gadgets, which are there for controlling this big Energy Ball down there. It is bigger than Aijna's and I bet that even Po is not so fat. But still this big ball is nothing against the Energy, which the smaller Jade Orb can create.

I look around. At the walls of this room are further computers and the room is filled with engineers. Most often rats, cats, dogs and mice – now I know why these tunnels are so small.

Not far of the Antimatter Core is the Jade Orb in an own version – but bigger - of my suitcase, which is no suitcase at all, but a platform.

I see Commodore Tai Lung in his Black Suit as well like Lang Laoban behind him.

I can't hear about what they are talking, there for it is too loud in here.

"One still to go. Cien hurry up!" Aijna yells almost in my ear.

I turn to the right, where the tunnel continues without a window and in the same shape like this circular room. I follow it and reach something like an Operating Station – that means there is more space for moving.

From there a ladder leads down.

Damn! An engineer is doing something there. It is a female cat.

Damn again! What to do?...I have only one choice. I activate my Bracer Blasters.

I crawl further till I can hang my legs down and then I jump on her.

The impact is strong enough that she gets unconscious immediately and I collapse on her back.

….Hmm she is a beauty….Focus you idiot!

I look up, raising my bracer blasters and realize that they had not noticed me still. Thank you loud Engine Room.

I look around from this door slowly and see that there is no way to the Jade Orb without being noticed.

Damn! So I need to go with this plan after all.

I leave this small operating room and go across the room like it would be the most normal thing of the world in this situation. I come closer to the Jade Orb Platform from the direction, from which Tai Lung and Laoban have to see me.

Still no one has noticed me. Lucky!

The two are looking at the Jade Orb and are chatting.

"With this my master will be at…" Laoban explains right now, but…

"Who are you?" a voice from the side asks me. It is a female Collie engineer…looks good as well…Focus!

I look back to the Orb. Tai Lung and Laoban had noticed me. Laoban wants to yell for two guards, which are standing at the entrance to the Engine Room.

"Not so fast!" I yell and fire in his way.

He stops of course, but the guards are running at me and are pointing their rifles at me.

Tai Lung chuckles.

"Wouldn't have thought to see you again, after the Wu Sisters have beaten you, Cien." he wants to make a step.

"Not a step further!" I yell and point my Blaster at him.

He stops, but smiles still.

"So what? You are not a killer, when I remember correctly. So what do you want to do?"

I grin and begin to point at the Core.

Like I hoped his smile vanishes.

"My Blaster is switched to Destruction. Level 10 like you know. One shot and the Core begins overloading."

"You are bluffing." he shakes his head, "You would kill yourself as well."

"Do you think? I was able to enter your ship without that you notice it. Do you really believe I have not thought about a way out?"

I admit I am bluffing. I don't know, if the tracking signal of the Teleporter is strong enough right now.

But I grin further.

"What do you want?" he admits finally his defeat.

"You should be able to guess."

"The Orb? For what reason you want to have the Orb?"

I step closer.

"I know it. You can guess when you want."

I am standing now right in front of the Orb. The Guards can't fire now at me. The right timing.

I take out the signal amplifier and attach it to the Platform. I activate it immediately by pushing the button.

Now I am not bluffing at all.

"Beam me up, Aijna!"

I feel like the teleporting starts.

"You don't get away with this!" Tai Lung yells at me.

"I got away already." I say grinning broader, right before he vanishes from my sight.

* * *

Friday the 13th :D Have posted some pictures on my DA-Account

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	15. Jade Orb

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XIV:** Jade Orb

Cien rematerializes slowly in front of me with a platform beside him.

I recognize the gadgets, which I have seen by the suitcase as well.

The rematerialzation ends and Cien steps from the Teleporting Platform.

"Welcome b…" I want to tell, but get interrupted by him, "Aijna prepare the Overdrive. We need to get away from here." he says and reaches for the ladder, which leads upwards.

I follow him.

"What happened?"

"They know, we are here."

"What?! How could this happen?"

We reach the end of the ladder and enter the corridor.

"I had to improvise."

Aijna appears beside the spot, we are passing right now.

"This happens always, when he improvises." she says amused.

We reach the Cockpit and he sits down at the Captain's seat.

"What exactly happened?" I probe further, while leaning myself against the two seats. Aijna appears on hers again.

"Don't have time to explain it. Aijna, the Over…"

BAMMM!

…

An explosion. The Ships shakes and I crash at the Cockpit's computer.

"Stand up!" Cien yells, while I get up slowly.

My heads spins.

"Aijna, what happened?!"

No answer.

I notice that the Cockpit got darker.

"Shit!" Cien curses and types at the still online Interface, "They have hit the Main Core. We are running on Emergency Energy right now. Insufficient for Aijna."

He types further and I can see like the window in front of us becomes armored.

I sit down beside him.

"What are you doing?" I ask him.

"Deactivating the Invisibility Systems and activating the Defense Systems of course."

Yeah of course….is it really so natural?

"I have no idea, how they could find us, but it isn't funny!" he yells still, while a screen Interface appears in front of us. There is seen the Roaring Dragon.

When we saw this ship one day ago for the first time, I couldn't believe it. Commodore Tai Lung was Shadow Cloak!

First I thought that he was only preparing for arresting these criminals, but slowly I could see the truth. He is a criminal himself.

"Shit! It comes closer to us."

"Have you no shield or weapons?"

"Of course I have. But both of them are not running on Emergency Energy. This armor is the only thing which stands between us and the Space."

In this way I have not dreamed to reach the Stars.

We hear a clicking noise.

"The Communicator." Cien says and types a button.

On the screen, where we had seen the Roaring Dragon a while ago, we see now the Bridge of it. Tai Lung in his black suit is sitting in the middle of it, Lang Laoban to his right. I see as well the Wu Sisters, who are at their corresponding Stations….They were responsible for my last big dream!

"Seems that you have not got away, Cien. And I see that your footboy seems to be your partner." Tai Lung says arrogantly.

"No partner. Accomplice-in-crime. Is written in his police file."

"Hey!" I object by slapping his shoulder.

"Whatever. You have two options now: Either you give up and give me the Orb like a well-behaved kitten or I will turn you and your ´accomplice` to dust in space."

"In this way you would destroy the Orb as well." I object.

He grins at me, while Cien shakes his head.

"Seems that your accomplice have not made his homework. The Orb can't be destroyed by simple gun power…", "Sir?" one of the sisters interrupt him….I think this needs to be Wan Wu.

She whispers something to him, while Cien begins to type something into his computer. A screen with a stellar map is shown at the upright corner and there are three points seen.

"Seems that we get company. I think I decide for you." Tai Lung replies and he vanishes from the screen.

Cien takes the controls in his hands again and begins to move the ship with them. The Screen shows, what is in front of him again and I see like we take a course away from the Roaring Dragon.

"Who is the third ship?" I ask him.

I feel something like a hit.

"A close one…" he comments this, "This is the Furious. It is unexpected, but the Star Fleet seems to be there, when it is needed…For the first time." Cien replies and begins to move even stronger to avoid the enemy fire.

"So we are saved?"

"No. Nothing close to be. We have the choice to get captured by the Star Fleet, which is searching for us or get destroyed by Tai Lung, a traitorous Star Fleet Officer….no option sounds acceptable.", another rumbling but much weaker. "But the first one sounds better for Me.", he adds.

"What will they do with us?"

"You tell me. Prison is the least what they will do with us for stealing a Jade Orb twice. But I don't think this will work. The Furious is the inferior ship. It will buy us only some time."

No…

I stand up.

We need to get away from here.

"How can I help so this doesn't happen?"

"By repairing the Main Core. We need Aijna for calculating the Direction of the Overdrive."

I nod and begin to run back to the ladder.

Before I reach the ground another shaking happens.

…Ow…

Falling down from a ladder is no fun.

I get up and don't turn to the Teleporter, where the Jade Orb is still, but instead to the Energy Core on the other side.

I have no idea about engineering, but I think this Sphere there needs to shine.

I look at the computer. No Interface.

I get on my knees. I open the control box below it.

"Cough, Cough…",….man what a smoke.

…Many cables here. Many blasted and further crystals, which I have no idea, what they are, are very dim.

….

I have no idea how to repair this!

Another shaking.

No, no, no, no…what can we do? What can I do?

_The Orb._

I heard a voice.

I turn around. There it is still floating inside the gadgets.

It is an energy source, or not?

I get closer and stop in front of it.

…I feel this force again.

I turn my head upwards to the corridor.

"I will connect the Orb with your systems!" I yell.

"You will do what?!" he replies also yelling.

"We have no energy. And this is pure energy!"

I get closer. The force pulls me already, but this time I don't try to withstand it.

"Don't do this! You will overload every system!" I hear him, but don't care anymore.

I touch the Orb.

The electroshock comes back and it hurts much. But then it subsides and I feel it.

I know it.

I grab the Orb with both hands and the pain returns.

But I feel like it is right in this way.

I carry it from its prison to the Core. I feel like the same energy surrounds me again, with which I am using my unknown powers.

And then the Orb touches the Core…I am not in the ship anymore.

I am in space again. The binary Star System. I reach the Temple and the Panda is standing in front of me again.

Before I can speak, he speaks: "Son, you need to reach this place. No matter the costs. The LSG will lead you to it. We need to talk."

And then he vanishes and I am in Aijna once again. The Core is shining and I feel the pain again.

I carry the Orb as fast as possible to its place again, before the pain gets unbearable.

….

Hapu, hapu…Man this was hard.

I stand up again, after I collapsed at the platform. I see Aijna's projection in front of me.

Yes!

"Coordinates obtained. Taking course." she mutters like she would be not herself.

"Overdrive in 3…2…1…"

The Overdrive starts and Aijna brings us there, where no one of us has gone before.

* * *

And here comes the next. Enjoy it

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	16. Siblings

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XV:** Siblings

Darkness surrounds me.

I feel…nothing.

No pain. No sense of duty. Nothing at all.

…Except loneliness. I feel alone.

Nothing is here. Is this death?

….Brrrr….

It gets cold.

Lonely and cold. It feels like in Space.

…

What is this?...A Green Star?

A light?

…It gets stronger. Closer.

"Captain!"

Voices. From where?

The Light gets stronger. It begins to surround me.

"Captain, Wake up!"

The Green Light surrounds me. It gets warm again.

And I wake up.

"Uhhh…."

Pain shoots through my body.

I open my eyes and my vision comes back slowly.

I look up to a white roof.

A man with a big mouth is bending over me.

"Captain, for God's sake! Finally you wake up!"

I recognize this voice: Scales.

"Captain, do you know, where you are?"

I look around slowly. White room. Everywhere beds. Some of them are used. Everywhere injured Crewmen lying or sitting and nursing personal running around.

"The Sickbay….What happen…?" the ship begins to shake strongly.

I wake up completely.

"What is going on?"

I lift myself into a sitting position.

Uhhh….pain in my chest. I look down: Below my tank top are bandages.

"We are under attack, Ma'Am.", Scales explains me.

Another shaking.

"From who?"

He hesitates before he replies: "The Roaring Dragon."

Tai's ship.

Another shaking and a computer not far away explodes.

I get on my feet….that hurts. I grab my chest.

"I need to go to the Bridge."

"Captain, you are not in a state…"

"I have to!" I reply and begin moving to the next exit.

Scales curses and takes a First-Aid-Case with him.

"Then I will treat you there."

I stop him.

"The Crew needs you here more than on the Bridge. I am okay…"

"But we don't know how long this will last. I couldn't make a proper analysis till now…"

Another Shaking interrupts him. I lose my balance almost.

"We have to risk it. You stay here.", and with this order I leave the Sickbay.

I scuff till the next Lift. Everywhere Crewmen are running or are supporting injured Friends.

I reach the Lift and push the button to the Bridge.

It last not long and another shaking takes place in the meanwhile, but I reach it.

The Officers are on their stations, but I see already destroyed sections. Crane is sitting in my seat.

"Captain!" he notices me as the first.

I drag myself to my seat and Crane leaves it to go to his station.

"Status!"

"Shields at 40%!" Mantis replies, "Many systems overloaded. The enemy fires most often with HE-Torpedoes."

HE? High Energy? System Overloading Weapons?

"Status of our Weapons and Drive?"

"Drive is online, but the front weapons not…" Monkey replies, before another shaking hits the Bridge. An explosion and screams behind me.

I look behind and see that Fire started, but the injured Crewman gets dragged away by Viper.

"Slack the fire there!" I order while turning back to the Screen. The Roaring Dragon is coming closer to us.

"Prepare a Picard Maneuver!" I order.

"A Picard-Maneuver? Ma'am, this is only allowed in emergency situations." Crane wants to argue.

"Isn't this one? Our front weapons are offline, so we need to fire with the Back Weapons. The Roaring Dragon is a heavier armored Battle Cruiser and is in this way stronger than we. Its only Weak Point are the sensors." I explain and every one of them nods.

Another Shaking.

"Shields at 20%", Mantis actualizes the report.

…Is this all? The Roaring Dragon is able to destroy us in a much faster way. For what is Tai waiting?

"Everything is ready." Crane replies.

Good.

"Initiate the Picard-Maneuver."

The Picard-Maneuver is simply explained as Overdrive within a Star System. Normally forbidden cause of the danger of miscalculating. Even a miscalculating of only of 1/1.000.000 second could end in a disaster, which is why using the Picard-Maneuver was forbidden except in emergency Situations. Cause of the Fast Acceleration into Overdrive and simultaneously braking in front or behind of the enemy, the enemy sensors need some time to adapt to it. Enough time to volley with full strength.

And this time it works as well.

"Fire!" I yell and all of our weapons are firing at the Roaring Dragon, before it can react on our Maneuver.

"Got them!" Mantis says joyfully and Monkey shows his thumb up to him.

"Status of the Roaring Dragon?" I ask.

"Shields overloaded, Weapons useless, Overdrive as well. The volley hit on the spot." Crane reports.

Fuhhh…That was close.

"Viper, Connection to their Bridge."

"Don't need. They are calling for us."

The Screen changes into the properly destroyed Bridge of Tai's Ship.

Would have never guessed, that I would be happy to see this bridge destroyed once.

"You got me there, Lil Sis. Haven't thought that you would use the Picard-Maneuver against me."

"´When you are in battle, do the unexpected. ` That were your words or not?"

He chuckles.

"Yeah, this they were…It is somehow good to see that your death belongs to it as well."

I stand up, trying to conceal the pain in my chest.

"What is going on, Tai? Why are you doing this?"

He lowers his head.

"Yeah, why am I doing this?"

This makes me angry.

"You don't know why? Betraying everyone and you don't know why?"

His eyes meet mine again.

"You should know me better than this, Lil Sis. I have always a reason for doing something."

I hear something from behind.

Crane looks at his screen.

"We get company!"

I sit down immediately and that not too late.

A big shaking goes through the ship, several computers explode and more fire begins to burn.

I fall almost from my seat.

"Seems that my Master arrived.", I hear Laoban's voice, who is coming from behind Tai's seat.

"In time. Su take our systems back online."

"Yes, Sir."

What is happening?

"When you see onto your sensors, you will detect that your Overdrive is offline and mine is online again." he says to me.

I look to Crane, who seems to be hurt at his head. He nods.

"It was fun to fight you, Lil Sis, but we need to get a thief now. So Goodbye."

The Screen changes to the Roaring Dragon again and we see like it takes course away from its earlier position.

After it has left the Screen, we see like another ship passes us above.

"Are the Weapons online?" I ask Mantis.

"Only the Lasers, Ma'Am.", he replies.

"Then we prepare to fi…"

"I would not recommend it.", a voice from behind stops me. I look at Crane, the owner of the voice.

"Why?"

He looks up from his interface.

"This ship…is a monster. A Weapon. The Lasers would not be able to scratch their shields even. But it ignores us…still."

I look back at the screen. The Ship is seen in its full glory now. Is resembles a long Ball pen, with a hole at its front….no, with jaws. Like dragon Jaws.

It passes peacefully and goes into Overdrive like the Roaring Dragon before it.

"Damn! They got away." I curse. The pain in my chest has become much stronger once again.

"Ma'am, I bet you want to see this." I hear Viper from behind.

I turn around in my seat.

"What is it?"

"A Tracker."

"What?"

"Look for yourself." she replies and a stellar map is shown on the Screen. It shows one point flying in Overdrive away from us.

"Which ship is this?"

"I think…the Roaring Dragon."

I look back at her.

"How have you installed a tracker on the Roaring Dragon?"

"Haven't. I got a hint."

I stand up now and go to her…still hurts.

"From our helper?"

"Yeah."

"Can you now detect, who it is?"

She types in their computer for a while.

"Yes, this time it wasn't secured as the last time. It is…" she stops in the sentence.

"Who?"

She looks at me again.

"From the Roaring Dragon itself."

What?!

"That makes no sense. Why should they show us, where we can find them after they hawe beaten us?" Mantis asks the obvious question.

…Yes. And they used only HE-Torpedoes against us. These weapons are not only used against a weaker equipped enemy ship and not against one, which is almost equally strong.

And I live still….

"Computer, Engine Room!" I order and turn around to my seat again.

Commander Storming Ox is shown there.

"Ox, how long will you need to repair the Overdrive?"

"Let me think…at least two hours. The damage is most often only at the surface."

"And Weapons?"

"Puh…at least 4 hours."

"Focus on the Overdrive. We need it back online as fast as possible."

"Understood."

I turn around to Viper.

"Is in our hint written as well, where the final location is?"

She looks back at her screen and nods after a while.

"How long with the Overdrive?"

"At least 12 hours. That location is not close." Monkey replies.

I see…

"Help everyone to refloat the Furious. And Crane you should better see the Sickbay." I order, while going to the Lift.

"Where are you going, Ma'am?" Crane asks me startled.

"For a talk with Scales."

And then I push the button.

* * *

Space Panda once again. I bet some have noticed that the Picard Maneuver comes from Star Trek: The next Generation. Hope that you like this allusion.

And I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	17. Home

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XVI:** Home

Uhh….

What…What happened?

Ahhhh….my head….

I begin to see something again.

It is dark in here.

My Cockpit…I am lying on the controls.

Looking around. Why is the exit above me?

Ahh….I remember now: Crash-Landing.

I stand up. Slowly…Standing on the Control board is really odd.

I climb on my seat – or better said its back. Now I grab the frame of the exit and climb on it.

Looking above again.

…

This corridor was never longer than now.

Fortunately the wall has enough rills to climb on them.

…Ehhh…

Need to go for climb training again. Am not in form…..hapu, hapu….I hate climbing.

Finally I reach the ladder.

I need to use it as a bridge with holes in it.

Wahhh….

My hand slid away almost….Wait a minute….Down there….

The Jade Orb is still shining and is brightening the whole area there. And right on its Platform Po is lying.

I jump down to him.

"Hey, Po! Wake up!" I yell and shake him so he wakes up.

"Uhhh….what happened?" he mutters slowly, while awakening.

"That I wanted to ask you." I reply and stand up.

He begins to get on his foot as well, while I look up.

The Core is there and it is still active.

"Why don't we have energy?" I mutter.

I look at Po, who stands again.

"Po, have you touched my Core with the Orb?"

"…yeah…" he replies guilty.

I look up again.

"Whatever you did, this was not a simple Energy Transfer."

"What do you mean?"

I look at him again.

"The Overdrive, which saved our asses out there, was at least 10 times faster than a normal one. And normally the Core alone isn't able to calculate the coordinates. I don't know, where we are, but I couldn't prevent the Crash-Landing here cause of this speed. I still don't have an idea, how long we were out as well."

Po lowers his head.

"I know, where we are." he mutters.

"Where?"

"My home."

"Your home? I thought that was Jade Station."

"Yeah it was. I lived my whole life there. But this…needs to be the Homeworld of my parents."

"Your parents? Is this the planet with the riches?"

"Yeah."

"And I bet you don't know, from where do you know this all. Am I right?"

"Actually…no. My dad said it."

"Your dad?"

"Yup."

"Wait a minute. I thought you have no clue where your parents are. Or how they look like."

"Yeah, but the Panda in my dreams said to me, son, so I think my assumption was right after all.", I look at him disbelievingly, "I had a dream, where he talked with me shortly before we started our ride here."

"I see…" this sounds even more unreliable than the older stories. But if there are riches to find, I will risk it.

I look up again and jump on the ladder.

"Follow me. We need to find out, if some cables are ripped off."

He follows although he has more problems with this smooth ladder than me. Standing on it as well.

When I want to touch the control box below the Core, energy shoots through the Systems again. The Lights get on and I feel the pressure of a running Core.

Aijna appears not far from us and she has adapted to our new upwards.

…Wait this is not Aijna. Her eyes are shining green.

"Descendant, Goal reached. Systems again online. Disconnect myself from the AI now."

And on the spot her eyes normalizes again.

I look at Po with a questioning face.

"This had to be the LSG."

"And what is this?"

"Life Support Gadget.", another voice explains. I look at Aijna. She seems to be normal again. Except…

"And from where do you know this?"

"The LSG, an AI, which had controlled my systems, left a little information, before leaving me."

"An AI? From where an AI comes now? You are the only existing one, when I remember Eric's words."

"She is. The LSG is not a real AI with own personality, but something more like very complicated Software." Po explains it to me.

I stare at him. Then at her.

"Seems that I am the only idiot in here, but from where this ´LSG` comes anyway? From Space or what?"

"No, it is here." he points at his head.

"Only that you know: This leaves more questions than it replies."

"The LSG is implanted inside his head. It is tech.", Aijna explains

Ahhh…..

"I still don't know, why it is there, but I know that it is responsible for my unexpected knowledge. As well like for my powers. Its workers, nanites, are spread inside my whole body."

I think my stare was not enough for him, so I stare at him with bulging eyes now.

"Okay….whatever…we can clarify the details later. Now I want to know: How is your status Aijna?"

"You crash-landed with my nose inside the ground. What do you think?"

At least she hasn't changed.

"Can you change it?"

"Not now. The Drive and several connection cables are broken. I will need time to repair them."

"Can I help you?"

"…No….Most of the broken parts are in places, where you don't reach. I will need to do it."

"Wait a minute. You are a Computer. How can you repair hardware of your body?", Po asks.

She looks at him.

"I have my ways, don't worry about it. What will you two do now?"

"Technically we have only two options: Stay here and be bored till you are repaired or get out and look around. I favor the last.", I explain

And with that I go slowly outside of the Engine Room.

Aijna reappears outside.

"Wait a minute, Cien…..Yes, you will need suits."

"For what purpose?"

"My sensors are fortunately the systems, with the lightest damages. I have analyzed the atmosphere of this planet: Toxic till the end."

I nod….Where can be the riches on such a planet?

I jump on the other side of the wall to its rills.

"Follow me, Po. I show you the suits." I say while climbing down slowly.

…Climbing down is harder than up.

"…O-Okay…" he mutters and begins to encourage himself to jump….Okay….

Then he jumps and can't catch one of the rills.

He…..MEOW!...

Ahhhh!

….

I grabbed it, but he is so heavy. I grabbed the rill, which leads to the next corridor and Po my pants.

….Damn! I can't pull myself up with him!

"Po! Climb on me and get into the corridor. Fast! Before I can't hang on these rills anymore and we fall down into the Cockpit!"

I feel like he is climbing up slowly. Somehow the weight gets bigger.

A hand grabs my head and uses it to climb up. Still better what comes after it: A foot, which is doing the same. Damn you Po!

After he reached the corridor, I pull myself up as well.

I look up to the door and Aijna opens it. A small suitcase falls on my head.

"Look out for your heads." Aijna warns and smiles gleefully.

I know I had to pay for this Crash-Landing once, but not so fast. My head hurts.

At least the suitcase is that, what I was searching. It opened after the Crash-Landing on my head and the things from within, which look like Digital pocket-watches in the size of my hand – they are called Suitchips – have fallen out.

I take two: A Green and Black one. I take the Green one and switch it to the maximum size level and maximum atmosphere resistance level, before throwing it to Po. My I switch only to maximum atmosphere resistance level.

"And...What should I do with this?" Po asks.

I sigh. I take my Suitchip and hold it in front of my chest and push the red button on the other side of the options – which is now pointing away from me. Immediately a black-white Suit with a casque engulfs my body.

I move around slowly and the suits adapts to my body shape. It fits like a second skin.

"Awesome…" Po mutters fascinated.

"Yeah, another invention of Eric. Put yours on." I say before stepping a few steps backwards.

Po copies me and immediately a green-white ball comes out, surrounds Po and almost forces me to jump from the corridor.

Eric you need always to exaggerate, isn't it so?

Almost in the same moment it shrinks back to Po's size.

"Good, now only weapons are missing." I mutter and in the right timing another box falls on my head. This time at least the casque protects me.

"Oops.", Aijna says gleefully…..Yeah, very funny Aijna, I tell her with my eyes.

I take my bracers – which were in this box as well like my staff. Po I throw a normal Blaster, which he fires at me almost during catching.

"Look out, man!" I snap at him and put on the Bracers on the suit.

When I look at Po, I see that it is the first time he has a weapon in the hands.

I sigh. I hope his powers will be enough. I don't want to stand in his aim, when he starts shooting with this Blaster…..maybe this was not a good idea.

I take the way, from which we came, back, but this time further. I reach a platform at my wall – where controls are normally – and then jump on a similar platform on the other side, so Po can climb on the first one.

After he did this a door closes from the way, we have come and expending in this way the platform on which we are standing.

"Interior Door closed. Open the Exterior one." Aijna's voice instructs us.

Slowly the door above us opens. It is not far away, only a little higher than my and Po's head.

After it has opened, it is raining inside. The rain looks dirty.

"Acid Rain. Is the shell strong enough to withstand this, Aijna?"

"It is. This rain is not acid enough to harm any form of metal or your suits." a voice inside my casque tells me.

Above us are dirty yellow clouds and I see something like skyscrapers.

I jump to get outside of the ship. At the edge I notice that my Crash-Landing was not completely vertical and this edge leads to the ground. I jump from it and can look like Po falls on his nose right after me.

The ground has also this dirty yellow color, but brighter. I can't even recognize which material it is: mud, sand or stone? It feels like nothing of it.

I look up like Po has gone already for a while and stop in track.

In front of us is rising a city full with black Skyscrapers. All of them are destroyed, but there for in different degrees of damage. Behind us are ruins of former Star Ships – at least I believe that these are Star Ships. All of them seem to be destroyed and some of them seem to be buried inside the ground.

I step a few steps further.

This looks like….a former Spaceport.

I come closer to a Ship ruin. I touch it. No one of them has a known shape. And they need to be here for a long, long time already.

I look around more. We landed in a destroyed world.

"Aijna let me guess: Is there radioactivity here?"

"….Yes, a little. But also different radiation. Most of it is not in my data."

"And your new data from the LSG?"

"…Nothing. Seems that this LSG didn't know it as well."

I see...

I look at Po, who is wandering around in these ruins.

I go to him.

"Nice Homecoming. Only the party is missing."

Po doesn't react on my joke. Too early like it seems.

"I saw it…" he mutters.

"What have you seen?"

"The destruction of it. The Destruction of my Home."

He wanders further.

Then he looks to me.

"I know where to go."

"Where the riches are?"

"…Yes…" He mutters and turns around. He goes directly inside the city.

I sigh.

What can I lose now?

I follow him.

* * *

The next chapter. Imagine the Suitchips a little like Airbags.

I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	18. Origin

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XVII:** Origin

I still can't believe it.

I had…assumed it, but….seeing it in real is a different matter.

The destroyed skyscrapers are looking at me like Black Demons or Phantoms. Once they were not black like now, that Cien had analyzed. But whatever had destroyed this city, which expends in every direction of us, had changed it forever. Some of them are even not standing anymore on the ground, but are tipped.

Life is not seen here anymore. Neither Flora nor People. The only thing, which is moving, is this stuff on the ground. No one of us knows, what happened with this ground, which tries to stop my movements.

Despite the structure of this city as a labyrinth, I know the way. The LSG had told me. Like it had told me where we are.

Home. The Home of my people.

I still can't believe it! I shake my head.

I have thought about finding the Homeworld of my kind as often as I dreamed to reach the stars. Maybe this was even the initial reason for my wish to reach the stars.

I heard there are Pandas, but not many. And on this big Jade Station I have met no one of them.

I have asked myself rather often, what the reason was for this low amount of Pandas, but no one could tell it me. But when I look at these ruins,…I know.

What happened here?

Why?

When?

And How?

I ask myself, if I will get answers by walking further.

"Po, slow down a bit." Cien says from behind me. He hadn't talked much since leaving Aijna. I appreciate this silence.

"What is it?" I ask him while turning around to him.

"The center of this odd radiation…we are going exactly there." he explains.

I turn back….What do you want to show me LSG?

I ditch him and go further. He follows me shortly after.

"Po, we need to be cautious. Aijna still analyzes this radiation. Till now our suits had protected us, but I don't know, if this will last, when we reach the place, where the concentration is at the highest."

"I don't care."

He grabs me shoulder.

"Po, listen…"

I turn around to him and my hand is surrounded with this green aura again.

I stare at him and hold the aura not close of his throat.

"I said, I don't care. And now let me go!" I say and free my shoulder.

I go further.

"Fine!" he yells and I think he stays where he is right now.

I don't care.

After a while I reach something to climb on. It seems to be something like a high dune, which expends to both of its side to a point, where I can't see it anymore.

Climbing on this semi-slippery, semi-solid ground is hard.

I hope it gets better now, because the rain stops.

I reach the Top…

No….

I am standing at the edge of a gigantic crater.

Nothing is there anymore the more one goes to the middle. Destroyed, Pulverized or Vanished to nothingness. And probably here was once the center of this city.

No….

Focus, Po. This happened a long time ago. You need to go further. Meet your dad.

I step on the crater and slip.

WAHHHH…

First I am sliding on my ass downwards, but then I slid on something edgy and begin to roll.

Noooooooooooo….

Finally I stop.

Everything has turned in my head. I have problems to focus….

….

Hapu, hapu…..it is well again.

I turn on my back. I see like the clouds vanish slowly and the two stars begin to shine at this place.

...I don't feel much better.

One feeling spreads through me: I am the last of my kind on this planet. I am alone.

"How long do you want to lie down there? Till you transformed into the ground?" I hear a familiar voice.

Cien steps into the light and a shadow falls on me. He gives me his hand and I take it.

"Thanks….Listen, Cien, I am…"

"Don't bother. I haven't returned for you, but for the riches, which should be here."

I lower my head again. I forgot about this completely.

"Cien, listen…I invented…"

"Probably we will find nothing, when you look at this. But one can never know, isn't it?" he looks at me grinning.

He knows it! For how long already? I look into his eyes and see the truth. He knows it for a while already. So why is he following me?

I begin to smile, when I realize it.

"Yeah, one can never know." I reply and we go further.

Like expected the middle of the crater is the center of radiation and fortunately our suits can withstand this. In every direction are only the edges of the crater.

"What the hell? Radioactivity Level Three.", Cien mutters under his nose.

"Is this dangerous?"

"When we talk about usual radiation, no. This radiation I can only guess. We don't start to vomit or our fur is not shedding, so I guess, we are safe. For now."

I nod.

"But the problem is the strength. Aijna has analyzed the destructions here. Centuries have passed since they happened. And still I can measure a Radioactivity Level Three. How strong was this Radioactivity, when everything started? I don't know a force in this universe, which is able to create such a strong radiation. Is the LSG telling you something?"

I shake my head.

"No. The LSG is not telling much about my home. It is odd."

"I see….Wait a minute, what is this?" he says and points there with his finger.

First I see nothing, but then I see it: A pyramid shaped building at the edge of the crater.

I start to run there. Cien follows me.

We reach our goal: A piece of the temples I have seen. Its peak to be precise. And there is also an entrance leading inside.

"How this could survive this explosion?" Cien mutters questioningly.

"I have no clue. But I want to know, what is inside."

And with these words I enter the darkness. The entrance leads immediately inside the crater edge on this side. After a while I can't see anything anymore.

…I have an idea. I focus again on my hand and it begins to shine again.

"Your own personal light, what?" Cien who steps behind me, says. He takes a wand out and breaks it in the middle. It begins to shine bluely.

"That is my personal light." he replies grinning and walks further.

I grin and follow him.

After a while we pass pillars to both sides. And in front of us seems to be something like an altar.

I step closer to it, while Cien looks around.

…Suddenly I feel something.

"Cien!" I say before my light leaves my hand and position itself above the altar. And then it explodes, but with except a dazzling effect it is harmless.

I open my eyes again and in front of me is standing my dad.

"What the hell?!" Cien mutters after he sees him. My dad is surrounded by a green light.

"Welcome, my son." he begins smiling sadly, "When you see me now, you have accomplished something, I would have not expected from you. And not wished even."

A recording.

"You have found a way to power your LSG with Jade Energy, although you should not have the possibility to reach a Jade Orb. I am impressed from your skills, but also sad that you did in the first place."

I look at Cien. He wonders about these words as well.

"But so be it. It can't be changed anymore. What you see in front of you is a recording I made into the LSG. It can be only activated here on the Homeworld of our ancestors and that's why the LSG had led you here. When I have finished telling you, what I wanted to tell you, the remaining functions of the LSG will be reactivated. So prepare for stronger headaches. The knowledge in the LSGs is immense."

I try to touch him, but my hand goes through like through water.

"This was our Homeworld. You ask yourself what happened here for sure. I will show it to you."

Immediately the dark room changes and we are outside again. But this time we see this city in its glory: White Skyscrapers, which lead to the sky and even further above, Floating Cars, Ships, People, Green Plaines and Forests and the temples in their old glory.

"Once our people were a high developed society. We had no crime, no resource shortages, no starvation, no war. We lived in peace and our Commonwealth expanded through several Star Systems. We had no enemy, which we should fear, but this should change at one fateful day."

Suddenly the surroundings change and we are in Space once again. To be precise in the Orbit of the Planet. A Space Station is orbiting it, as well like some ships. They don't seem to be on the alert.

"We called them Spectres, because they appeared from nothing." my dad tells further and we see like dark Space Ships come from the Dark Space. Thousands, when not millions from them.

"We don't know how they looked like or something about them anyway. This knowledge was lost in the in the first days, when our Homeworld fell."

We can see like these blurred ships begin to destroy the patrolling ships and they don't need more than one shot. The scene changes again to the surface of the planet and I am back there, where I was at my first dream.

I know what will come.

"Besides their superior fleet strength, which had destroyed our defenses in one go completely, they used Mass Destruction Weapons with a cruel impact strength."

We see the dazzling light again and how everything vanishes.

"Our Homeworld fell on the first day. It lasted a while till all died, but then it had fallen already. How many of our people died that day, no one knows now, but billions are a good guess."

The scene changes to a stellar map with many Stars shown and the binary Star System in the middle. It vanishes in the darkness of its surrounding.

"After our Homeworld fell, they attacked our colonies, outposts, Stellar Stations, Ships and everything, which were linked to us. Even our allies."

Slowly one Star System after another vanishes.

"But one day….the Spectres vanished as suddenly as they appeared. We don't why, but it had saved the remaining people, our direct ancestors. Few thousands of them survived this genocide. But on their planets life couldn't survive anymore for centuries. And so they decided to find a new home away from here."

The scene shows us Star Ships, which were flying through the Space.

"But even after the disappearance of the Spectres, we were not safe.", after he told this the ships got attacked, "We call them Hunters. Folks, who were upgraded with synthetic tools by the Spectres during their attack, had the mission to extinguish us once and for all. And their mission didn't end with the disappearance of the Spectres. They are hunting us still after so many generations. That is the reason, why we can't find a place, where we can live in peace and are doomed to travel through space for eternity."

The scene shows something like a dirty Sickbay, my dad and a table above which a doctor – at least I guess this is one – is bending. We hear a scream.

The doctor lifts a baby and gives it to dad, who seems to be overjoyed.

I realize what we see. My birth.

"When I held you in my hands for the first time in my life, I was able to forget the worries, which we had, for at least so long as you have smiled at me, my son. But the joy have not lasted long cause of the LSG."

A piece hardware is showed in front of us, while it is circling in midair.

"The Life Support Gadget is a tool. Our ancestors used it to store the Jade Energy and use it for every problem they encountered. It became our strongest weapons against the Hunters. But as well our greatest threat."

A dirty room inside a ship or Station is showed where panda babies are crawling around.

"It became our custom to implant a baby a LSG moments after its birth, so it could adapt to it slowly in the time. When it connects to your brain when you are old enough, all the information will be uploaded at once and you get headaches and strange dreams. I bet you know about what I am talking about."

Bet won, dad.

"It was too late, when I discovered that the Hunters were using the Energy stored inside the LSG to detect us. Your LSG was implanted already and you were doomed to live a life we did. As refugees. But this I wanted to prevent! So I had an idea."

The scene changes again and I recognize it: The Orphanage, where I lived my first years of life.

"I withdrew the energy of your LSG to the minimum. In this way it couldn't work anymore and the Hunters couldn't detect you. I…We left you behind at an Orphanage with a good reputation. Many other parents decided for this as well. So the next generation could live once again in peace."

We see like two cloaked people carry a basket and deposit it at the door steps. They push a button at the Orphanage to ring and then leave into the night. They see only like their son is taken in.

"Most of the parents didn't believe that their children, would find a way to power their LSG again, without a Jade Orb close by, but I guessed that you would inherit my creative thinking and so I created this recording. To say goodbye."

We are back, where we started, but another person consorts with dad. It is a female panda, looking similar to him.

"Mum…" I mutter.

"The final part of this plan is to lead the Hunters there where no one was before. Away from the civilized systems, where our children will be. I don't know, if we are living still, but it will be better, if you will not try to find it out. Your LSG has energy now and they will detect you. I recommend you to find a way to deactivate it again so they can't find you. And find another location, where you can live in peace and safe."

"Listen to your dad." my mum says and her voice is sweeter than honey, "We want to say goodbye to you, Po. We will not see us again. Not important how much we want it. It is to your best." she smiles sadly, "Try to be always…a good man. A good Panda. One we could be proud of and we…we will be satisfied…."

She begins to cry. I want to….help her stopping cry….but I can't

"Po, I wish you a good life. Find a place to live. Find a woman you can love and become father. You will see that you will love it, like I did it for such a short period of time. Live the peaceful life, we couldn't and forget us."

"Goodbye, Po. We will love you forever." my mum adds and they begin to vanish.

"No…no….No!" I try to stop them from vanishing, but it doesn't work.

At the end I remain in the darkness. I fall on my knees.

It keeps silent for a while.

"Po, I am sorry…" Cien wants to break the silence, but gets interrupted by another voice.

"Cien! I am under…!" Aijna yells, but stops abruptly.

"Aijna! What is going on?! Aijna!"

No answer.

We turn around and are surprised to see light there.

"Well, well, well who we have here…?"

* * *

Chapter 17. Hope you enjoy reading it.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	19. Revelations

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XVIII:** Revelations

We leave the Overdrive.

"Location.", I order.

"An unknown System, Ma'am. Even Orbiters have not reached this system." Crane explains.

I see…

"Analysis."

They need some time, but I get my answer.

"Binary Star System, 6 Planets. No one of them with survivable atmosphere."

I think about this.

"So why Tai led us here? Have you found some ships in this system?"

"No, Ma'am. Only the Dark Space."

"Maybe it was a trap after all. To lure us away?" Monkey suggests.

"We should hawe returned to Jade Station after the signal disappeared, Ma'am. Commodore Tai Lung is a traitor after all." Mantis puts his oar in.

I stand up and look at the Screen, who shows only the Stars.

Was I wrong? Is Tai really a traitor?

….No…it can't be…too much questions appear, if he would be.

"Proper analysis of the whole System. Especially around the Planets and Moons. Search for anything not important how small or meaningless it is. Somewhere here needs to be a further hint."

And with this I turn around and go to the Briefing Room.

"Ma'am, can I speak with you? In private?" Viper asks me after leaving her station.

I nod after little hesitation.

We enter the Briefing Room and I go immediately to the Windows on the other side. Cause of the attack, one of the windows was broken and an emergency shield was installed there now.

"Tigress, are your ready for this?"

"What do you mean?"

"To accept that Tai Lung is a traitor after all."

I shake my head.

"That is not for sure."

"But it can be."

"But why did he send us these hints then? For what purpose? And why he shot me with Stunning Blaster and didn't kill me like he indicated? Or why he shot only with HE-Torpedoes at us? He could have destroyed us in the moment, where the battle started, but didn't do it."

"I don't have an answer to this. But that is not the point. Are you ready to admit that he was doing this only to deceive us? When facts tell us this?"

I lower my head.

"I can't. How could I? Too many questions remain. Too many inconsistencies. Without him, we would have not even known where to begin with." I turn around to her, "He was already a hero, when I was not even a Lieutenant. Why should he betray us?"

"I can't tell you this. But you can't bring your feelings in the way, when there are proves that he is a traitor."

I hammer against the table.

"No!" I lower my head and shake it, "Understand it. I can't. He is my older brother. A man, who inspired me to become the person I am now. I can't see him as a traitor. Even not after everything what has happened."

She wriggles to me.

"I know it is hard. And I beg you only for one thing: Be objective, when the facts appear. Don't hunt chimeras, when there is no one. It can destroy only the trust of the Crew to you."

I look into her eyes.

"…I…try….Thanks, Viper…."

She smiles sadly.

"Always there. You know what you need to do?"

"Yes.", I nod.

We leave the Briefing Room and enter the Bridge once again.

"Okay, we leave the system. We take course back to Jade Station…"

"Ma'am, I have something." Crane interrupts me.

I stop. "What is it?"

"A Space Buoy. Left behind by the Roaring Dragon.", he explains. I look to Viper, who is as surprised as we all.

"What is on it?" I say while returning to my seat and regaining my professionalism. My hope is returning.

"Not much. Only words….Frequency…11….45….67."

I get it.

"Viper…", "Am connecting already."

The screen changes its picture to a blurred and darkened room. In the middle is sitting Tai.

"Hello, Lil Sis. Like it seems you got my message."

"Tai…" There are many questions crossing my mind right now, while I stand up, but one needs to be asked right away, "On which side are you?"

"Isn't it obvious? I am a Commodore of the Star Fleet.", he replies surprised.

I look at Viper. She nods.

"Can you prove it?" I ask looking back at him.

First he seems startled, but then he grins.

"I see….Did too much to expect trust now, what?" I nod, "You should know, that I am on your side. Why did I send you the hints? Why did I use the Stunning Blaster instead killing you? Have you thought about that?""

"I have. It is still not safe to trust you…"

"I have even used HE-Torpedoes, so your precious ship is not damaged heavily and for this the Roaring Dragon got damaged…but I think you know this already. So let me explain from the beginning." he breathes in loud, "I am on a secret mission. I and my whole Crew. Prime Oogway had found out six months ago that someone is working on a Weapon to destroy Jade Station. He couldn't find out, who and when and how. Only that there is one person doing that. I should investigate it, but I couldn't find more than the Prime himself. So the Prime had an idea: To lay out a bait."

"A bait?"

"Yes, the Jade Orb. The only clue I could find during my investigations was that these criminals had problems of finding an energy source strong enough for their weapon. Instead waiting till they found a way to power the weapon, we created this bait, so they would come for the Orb."

This makes sense. When such a threat exists, you can't wait till it is too late.

"So the plan was formed to make me a criminal, who steals the Jade Orb and tries to sell it. But there was also needed someone who pursues me, to prove the criminals that this is not only a trick."

"Us. That's why the hints."

"Correct. And that's why no one else was allowed to know from this plan. Even the Higher-Ups not. It was a secret between us three…and my Crew. And it worked."

I lower my head.

"So we were a part of this mission? Why we wouldn't inform about your mission as well?"

"This was Prime Oogway's idea. Dad and I were against it. But he thought if you would know about this from the start, the criminals could have become suspicious. You needed to go all out."

"I see. So he doesn't trust me?"

"Maybe….or he simply mistrust your skills as an actor."

I nod, but don't smile cause of this obvious joke.

"Can you prove it? All this? Your whole story?"

He hesitates.

"You can contact dad. He will tell you the whole story as well. But when you want a prove that I am no lying right now: At the surface of the second planet are two persons. A Panda and a Panther. Shen wanted to kill them, but I was able to prevent it by using my Stunning Blaster. The Panther is the guy I hired to steal the Orb for me. A Professional called Cien. He made this whole matter much more complicated. The Panda is called Po and seems to be his partner. You should send some men to them. Before I used my Stunning Blaster they got injured pretty heavy."

I stare at Monkey until he understands.

"So what will happen now, Tai? Where are you?"

"I would want to send you another tracker, but this is not possible. After helping these two Shen became suspicious. I can only talk. We are on the way back to Jade Station. And thankfully his Ship is not the fastest one. I hope you will be able to reach us."

We reach the planet. Crane begins to analyze the surface. He nods after a while.

"So…your mission was, to find out who the threat is. But why are you still following him?"

He chuckles.

"Because of you. And your Picard-Maneuver. I could protect my Drives, but that was it. You got me there pretty hard. Alone I am not able to bring down this ship. I have warned dad about our coming. Would still be better, when you join us. I still can't judge the real strength of this Ship. Even more since it has the Orb."

"It has it?"

"Yes. I couldn't prevent that it will be taken...Thanks to Cien. Although I will try everything to stop Shen."

"Seems that Prime Oogway's plan had some unexpected complications."

"Yeah, it had…" he chuckles, "But such things are found always." we hear a signal from the screen, "Okay I need to get back to the Bridge. Laoban is still here and will suspect something, when I am missing too long. Come here as fast as possible."

And then the screen went black again.

"Should we trust him?" Mantis is the first to ask.

I think about this.

After a while I nod.

"He didn't lie about these two…..We will. For now. We would have taken course back anyway. Prepare everything for returning home." and I grin, when I remember something, "It will be a race like the last time."

Everyone grins as well.

After we had rescued the thief and his panda friend – who were still unconscious – and a ship, which was not far away from them, we take course.

* * *

The number 18. Finally some explanations. Enjoy it.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	20. Under Attack

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XIX:** Under Attack

"Yes he said the truth." I say to my daughter.

She seems to be relieved.

"Thank the Gods. It was not a nice feeling to mistrust him."

I smile nodding.

"I know how it can be. And I excuse myself for this. Prime Oogway thought it would have been better, when as few people as possible knew from the real mission."

"I see…that's why you were surprised about informing my Crew about my part in this mission."

I smirk. "Yeah. That was quite a surprise."

"How is it looking by you?"

"Till now, good. I am preparing the First and Second Fleet for the Defense. I think they will be ready till they arrive."

"And the Jade Orb Weapon?"

"This…was not expected, I admit it. Tai Lung tried to apologize several times for this, that he hired this Cien guy. He thought with a real thief it would look more real. But we will be ready. Not important how strong this weapon may be, we will not allow it to fire."

"I hope this time it works out completely like planned."

"There you are not the only one.", and with this we ended the secured Transmission.

I look up to Agent Mask.

"Now you know it."

"I see…it was a good idea not to tell us. Some of my team members are blabbermouths."

"You will overcome this?"

"Of course, Sir." he says saluting.

"Good. Then we should better prepare for the worst."

* * *

_Few days later…_

I am inside the Yinyu, the Flagship of the First Fleet.

"The sensors are reporting: Only two minutes till two ships will come from the Overdrive." one of the officers of the ship is reporting. Captain Barett, a polar bear, nods about this.

"Weapons online. Shields online. Fire at my command." I order to all ships through my communicator. I have assembled the majority of the Second Fleet, but only a Minority of the First Fleet till now. Further are on their way. Hope it is still enough.

The time passes, while every ship is getting into position.

…

Only ten seconds now.

"Only don't aim at the Roaring Dragon." I recommend.

Then the ships come out from the Overdrive.

"Fire!" I order and every ship is firing with everything they have at our target.

We can see two ships and the bigger one gets hit by one salvo after another. It can't be seen even anymore so often it gets hit.

A whole minute passes, before I order to stop.

…

Nothing. Not even a scratch. Like we would have never fired.

"How is this possible?" Captain Barret mutters. I look down on my Interface. No damage can be registered. Even the shields seem to be unharmed.

"The enemy ship is preparing a weapon at the front!" the yell of the officer interrupts my train of thoughts, "The sensors register a high amount of Energy there."

"The weapon…" I mutter after looking at my Interface again.

"This is really much energy there, Sir!" the officer informs us.

"We need to dodge It.", Captain Barret suggests.

"We can't! Behind us is the Station." I object.

"The shields will need to be enough. This energy concentration is too strong than any of us can survive this…."

Further we don't come with our discussion. The weapon fires. It looks like a gigantic fireball, which is leaving the jaws of a dragon with a tail, which expends till the Jaws itself.

It passes beside us, big enough to destroy two ships in one go and reaching the Shields of Jade Station.

I look at my interface and see that the shields withstood the attack, but are at 50% already.

What destructive power…

"We can't allow another shot. We need to stop It.", I order.

"We get a calling." another officer tells us.

"On Screen." Captain Barett orders after little hesitating.

The white-scarlet Bridge of Shen's ship is shown. The white peacock is sitting in the Captain's seat, wearing a white dress. He stands up to us and walks closer to the screen.

"Well, well, well, who we have here? When this isn't Admiral Shifu. Did you like the demonstration of my power?"

I hesitate. Maybe in this way we have more time to regenerate the shields of Jade Station. And the backup can't be far away as well.

"Shen. It's been a while." I reply.

"Oh yes, it is. Since you send your kitten to stop my plans."

"You deserved it."

"I deserved the power over the Zhu Empire. And I will get it after I have shown the galaxy the power of my weapon by destroying Jade Station, the indestructible Station, which was built by Prime Oogway himself."

I look at the interface. 60% already.

He begins to chuckle.

"Do you think I don't know what you are doing there? Buying time?"

I am found out.

"We will not allow you to win, Shen."

"And how do you want to achieve this? My shields are strong enough to withstand every of your attacks."

"Everything can be cracked. Even your shields."

"As well like the Jade Station….It seems that it has already 70% again. I forgot almost the fast regeneration rate of them. But that should not be a problem. I will simply level up my weapon to 100%."

I gasp.

"What?!"

He chuckles.

"The last shot were 80%. But thanks to the Jade Orb, I am able to go up to 100%. I would recommend you not stay in the way."

And with this he leaves the screen and his weapon is shown once again.

"Fire! Fire! We can't allow that it shoots again!"

We fire with everything, we have, but it still starts charging.

No!

It is close to fire, when we see an explosion at its shell. It is big enough to force Shen's ship to change its target.

"Dodge!" Captain Barett yells. We dodge the beam by a narrow margin.

I look at my interface. No…

"The beam had hit the Tower. The Shields are at 10%, but protect only parts of the Station. The edge of the tower was damaged."

"Admiral! The Explosion. It was the Roaring Dragon. The explosion was able to make a hole inside the shields of the weapon." the first officer reports.

Suddenly everything begins to shake like by being hit.

"What is going on?!" Captain Barett orders.

"The weapon…it is using conventional weapons against us. They are not so strong enough to break through our shields, but it is only a matter of time."

"Sir, the Roaring Dragon gets the most hits." another officer informs us.

We see like the shields of the Roaring Dragon get offline and an explosion hits the ship.

No…

"Fire! We need to use the chance my son gave us!" I yell.

We are firing again. This time the shields of the Weapon are seen. We try everything to break them, but one ship after another gets destroyed by the fire of Shen's weapon.

…We are losing.

* * *

Number 19. For Shifu and Tai Lung it doesn't look very good like it seems.

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	21. Debt

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XX:** Debt

_Few days earlier…_

I wake up.

"Uhh….what…."

A crocodile is coming to me.

"Don't move so strong. Your wounds are still healing."

I look up at him….A crocodile as a doctor? The world is crazy.

I look to a bed beside me. Po is still lying there unconscious.

"How is he?"

The Crocodile doctor looks to him.

"He is not in danger. I put him into an artificial coma. His wounds were heavier and I think he breathed in something of the toxic atmosphere. But he will be healthy again. At least in the way he looks like."

"Yes…he will be…."

I hear door opening noise behind me and turn around. A beautiful Tigress in red Star Fleet uniform enters the Sickbay. Of course I recognize Captain Tigress. So I am on the Furious.

"It seems that you have woken up.", she says to me. I nod only.

"Scales is he able to answer some questions?"

"Ma'am, I…", "I am ready." I intervene.

She nods at me and signals this Croc to leave us alone.

After he left, she begins: "So, you are Cien? The thief of the Jade Orb?"

She is good informed.

"Yes I am."

"Why have you done this?"

I chuckle.

"It was a job."

"And my brother paid you?"

"He wanted to. But my price was too high for him."

"I see…" she looks at the panda, "I know him. He was at the Auction, while we attacked it. Is he your friend?"

I chuckle again. What irony…

"If you had asked me before this whole matter, I would have answered no. I would have even called you crazy, because you had such an idea. But now…it changed. He saved my ass down on the planet."

"Tell me what happened."

"We were there to find out more about his…family, only to learn that they are not there. Then we were attacked by Shen and his men. Your brother was there as well, although without his men. They had us trapped and we couldn't escape. It was only a matter of time, till they hit us. Thanks to our suits, we survived the first shots. Then Shen himself fired and it should have hit me, but Po threw himself in the way and protected me with his green aura."

"Green aura?"

"Long story. To shorten it: Its protection ended, when a level 10 Blaster shot hit him. He fainted immediately. And I was shot down by Tai Lung."

"His Stunning Blaster. It hurts, but doesn't kill. At least not for real."

"That I found out as well, after I woke up after a while. I realized that Po's suit got damaged by the attack and so I had to fix it first. And then I realized that our air to breathe was going to the end. So I tried to contact my ship…"

"Aijna."

"Oh you know her?"

"She is very talkative. I have never seen such a high developed Computer."

"Because this is only one of her functions. She is an AI…"

"I guessed that…" she looks fascinated.

"Anyway: I contacted her. It lasted till I lost hope, but thankfully Shen's men had not destroyed her while taking the Orb. And she was repaired enough to fly to us. But I lost consciousness before I could take Po and me to her."

"I see…she had no possibility to help you outside of herself and with still damaged systems, but was able to activate a signal. In this way we could find her fast and take you with us."

I chuckle.

"Good girl."

I think these words were not to her liking.

"We are on the way to Jade Station. Shen is on the way there as well. It would be helpful, if you would help us. Aijna has some nice systems and she doesn't want to help us without you. In this way you would be able to delete the records of your crimes…"

"I do it."

She seems surprised.

"That went fast."

I grin.

"Jade Station is the only home he has left still. And I am indebted to him." I say, while pointing at Po.

She looks there and then nods. She smiles even.

"I see…"

* * *

_Present Day…_

"We are reaching Jade Station.", Lieutenant Monkey reports.

I and Po are standing not far away from the Captain's seat.

Since Po had woken up, had seen his idol Captain Tigress and had learned that he could help her, his thoughts were only circling around this topic.

"Boy, o boy, I still can't believe by which side we are."

"Yeah…" I bet I can't believe it more than he. Working with the authorities is normally not my style.

I sigh.

We come out of the Overdrive. And see horror.

In front of us are found destroyed or damaged ships of the Star Fleet. And there are many of them.

"The First…", "…and second Fleet…My God.", Lieutenant Monkey and Ensign Mantis said in unison.

I have to subscribe to this.

The Furious is flying through the ships trying not to touch any. The remains of them are moving through the empty space without a proper navigation. It looks like garbage in space.

Then we see a known ship.

"Captain, the Roaring Dragon!" Commander Crane sees it as the first.

The Roaring Dragon looked much better once. The tail of it is completely destroyed and even some parts of the front are drifting apart from the remaining ship. The remaining ship looks like a trashed potato.

"Survivors?" Captain Tigress asks unsure.

It last a while till…"Yes. Many of them even. Despite the outlook the Ship was not destroyed completely. Only to the level that it is useless. Most of the other ships have ended up so as well." Crane replies.

"Can we contact it?"

Again a while…"Yes, but only Audio." Lieutenant Viper replies.

Captain Tigress nods so Viper should build up the connection.

The Screen doesn't change, but a familiar voice appears.

"Hello? Who is out there?" Tai Lung asks.

"Tai, it's us." Tigress replies.

"Lil Sis? It is nice to hear your voice."

"Have you injured ones? We send Medics."

"Negative. You need to destroy Shen's Weapon first. It took course to Jade Station."

The Screen changes slowly, while we pass the destroyed ships.

In front of us is Jade Station. And we see many fire lightened areas as well like holes there.

"Oh, no…We are too late." Tigress mutters.

"Maybe, I don't see. I know that dad was in the Yinyu fighting against the Weapon. The Yinyu was still intact, when we lost our sensors."

I think Captain Tigress decides something now.

"Prepare the Weapons. We need destroy this Weapon at all costs."

"Weapons will not be working. At least, when you have not implanted several mines at the surface of the shell like I had. The shields are too strong and the shell as well. But the explosion of the Mines had at least ripped open a spot in their shields. But with its weapon power, it is hard to fight. Hope you find a way.", and with this he leaves us

Everyone gets silent again. The Captain thinks.

"Prepare…everything for a ramming maneuver."

"What?!" everyone says surprised.

"You heard him. Normal shots are useless. We need a projectile, which is big enough. The Furious is the only one big enough."

I see her logic and she is right. When looking at the destroyed ships one knows, that it is the only possible way.

"But Captain…" Viper tries to argue.

"The decision was made. Prepare everything for an evacuation. I will lead the ship to its target myself."

Suicide Mission. Everyone knows this.

"Wait…" Po tries to argue, "I have another plan."

That surprises me.

Everyone looks at him.

"Spit it out." Captain Tigress orders.

"Eh…you see….I am able to overload the Jade Orb. The Explosion will be able to destroy the whole ship."

"How?" Lieutenant Viper asks.

"By touching it and….it is complicated, but possible." Po replies.

"But you can't reach the interior of the ship." Crane objects.

"He can.", I intervene, "With my teleporting Device. There is a hole in their shields, isn't it? I can use this."

Everyone looks at us now.

"Are you sure? You know how this can end?" Captain Tigress asks with a serious voice.

We nod both and Po gulps.

Then Captain Tigress nods.

"Okay. You have one try."

We nod both and leave the Bridge.

While we enter Aijna, Po wants to talk again, but I interrupt him.

"Are the Invisibility Systems online again?" I ask Aijna.

Aijna appears from nothing.

"No…I have thought we go into a battle? Shields and Weapons are back online, but not these Systems."

Damn!

"We need to do it without them. I see it as practice for my skills as a pilot."

Po sits down beside me and Aijna doesn't protest.

He breathes in and out loud.

"Are you ready to be a hero? I somehow not." I say to him.

He smiles at me. "Also. I have not thought that I would do this once. And then for her.", he replies.

I stay quiet, while the Hangar doors open.

On the Screen the Captain appears.

"You have only one try, don't forget it. We will try to distract them with the help of our Fighters. But the original plan is still in effect. When you fail, we will try it. We count on you that we don't need to use it."

Then she disappears. Po looks somehow disappointed, while I fly out of the Hangar.

In front of us is the attacked Jade Station. The Weapon is still attacked by further ships of the Star Fleet. Hope that they are enough as a distraction.

"So, since when?" I ask suddenly.

"What?"

"Since when do you love her?" I point out. He seems to be embarrassed and forgets completely where we are.

"Since….always. I think. Since I saw her the first time."

"I see…you wanted to see her smile?"

"…Yes…"

"Maybe you will."

"What do you mean?"

"You need only to survive. Don't forget that you are belonging to a kind, which is near extinction."

He lowers his head.

"I know…what I am going to do now, is against their wishes."

"I don't think so. Didn't your mum said, that you should become a good Man? A good Panda? What do you think, she would think about this, when you would not even try to do this?"

He smiles again.

"Yes, you are right. And thanks that you are helping me."

"Only paying a debt. But don't try to make such a thing again, okay? My life is precious for me."

"Okay.", he says laughing.

The sensors register the first enemy fire.

I move my hands and Aijna can dodge it.

"The party starts! Aijna I hope you will not leave me now as well like last time?"

"In your dreams. Without me you are already toast, don't forget this."

I grin.

…I realize something. No matter how the outcome will be, this journey will end here.

* * *

Number 20. The Final Showdown comes closer..

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	22. Jade Star

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XXI:** Jade Star

It is like hell here.

Everywhere enemy fire, Star Ships of the Star Fleet as well like their Fighters, trying to crack the enemy shields. Below us the damaged Jade Station….I hope that Mr. Ping is going well down there.

Above us the Weapon of Shen. It is big. Really big.

A shaking goes through the ship.

"Shit! Missed that one." Cien says. He is focusing completely on flying.

We come closer to the reason for this hell.

I gulp.

Somehow it is hard to find the courage for this.

"Aijna, have you found it?" I ask her.

"….Yes. A hole in the shield. Not really big, when you ask me. I don't fit there."

"Missiles?" Cien inquires.

"Yes, some of them had hit the surface of the Weapon. But still far too few. It is hard to hit a hole, which location changes the whole time and is no more than as big as a missile."

"I get it. What is with the teleporting beam?"

"I am writing right now a program to counter the location changing. Need to be ready soon."

"Okay, Po go down."

I stand up and go through the corridor and the ladder down to the Teleporting Device.

It is my third time, but I still feel not so well doing it.

A shaking hits us.

"Cien, look out how you are flying me!" a projection of Aijna yells here as well like by him.

She looks down at me.

"No amusing reply. He is focusing for real."

"Doesn't happen often what?"

"No. It is the first time that he puts his shoulders to the wheel. It seems that you have impressed him."

I smile sadly.

"You don't need any Blaster?"

"No, I have this." I say and focus on my hands, which are surrounded by the Green Aura.

"Hope this is enough. I can't detect the exact location of the Orb, but I will teleport you to a position, where I guess it could be. It is not empty."

"I understand….Teleport me."

So much courage I show right now, I don't feel.

…

_You need only to survive_…his words are still spinning in my mind.

"Po, I need to inform you that I will be not able to teleport you back. Not as long as these shields are online. So when you have time destroy them."

"I will do my best."

She nods and I begin to feel it. This itching, the blurring of the vision, weight-losing.

And then I begin to reappear, because my vision gets back. I see….a wall?

A wall for sure.

Where….?

I turn around. There are standing two armed wolves staring at me with a complete shocked face.

"Hi.", I say smiling.

Then they want to raise their weapons and I charge them. Thanks to the LSG I have the knowledge how to fight in my head.

I dodge the first shot, yank up the second rifle so strong that it hits the wolf's nose and beat the first with a Roundhouse kick. The second one I knock out with an uppercut.

I stand still for a while…."OWWW!", I yell almost too loud. What a pain in my body…the LSG has not given me the body to perform such movements rather often. At least it begins to wear off…

I should try out something different. I focus and feel like a thin green aura surrounds my body like a second skin.

I hope this is enough.

So where should I go? I am in middle of a corridor.

….

Ehhh…..

I realize that I have no clue where I should go.

I knee down to one of wolves and shake him so he would wake up.

Come on, wake up! I need information for where to go.

"Ahh…!" I hear a voice. Another wolf – looks not like a soldier like the first ones – is standing at the corner of the corridor. He – or is he a she? – looks frightened.

"Alarm!" she yells and tries to run away.

DOH!

I follow her. Reach the corner and pass it. She runs around the next one….and the next one….

Hapu, hapu….

She is fast and this ship has simply too many possibilities to run around a corner!

Come on, Po, you can't lose her. She could alarm the rest of the ship if she gets away….

We reach a point, where guards, where running at us….so much for this…While she passes them, they shoot at me.

Good that there is still the skin tight aura, which can't be seen by them very well.

I focus on my hand and throw the created energy ball at the closest enemy. He gets electroshocked and faints immediately.

They all looked shocked at him and then again to me.

Blaster Fire is useless and I can knock you out with one shot. What will you do?

"Run!" one of them yells and turns around. The others follow his lead.

Why are you such cowards?!

I follow them as well.

And once again there are too many possibilities to run around a corner! Am I in a labyrinth or what?

Hapu, hapu…

They always need to run. I need still information!

We reach a bigger room, – more something like a hall - which expends to both sides of me. There are several big Antimatter Cores….I need to be in the Engine Room! It is much bigger than the one of Aijna.

Wait a minute…Engine Room?...Jade Orb!

I begin to look around for it, while the wolf engineers here begin to notice me and the hunted still are fleeing. I don't care.

Where is it?

Where can it be?

…

Gotcha!

There it is right in the middle between ground and roof. Floating.

Yeah.

"Not so fast, Panda!" I hear the voice, but it is too late.

I turn around and a hammer hits me directly into the face. I fly several meters backwards and I guess my aura vanishes.

I land hard and it hurts a lot.

Ow…..

I stand up. The wolf called Laoban had hit me and more of his men are gathering behind him, pointing their weapons at me.

No!

They fire.

….

Thank the Gods that I created a bigger green aura in front of me in time.

"Puhhh…"

"Ah you are this guy.", Laoban says and draws a Blaster. He switches it to Level 10.

DOH!

Think! Fast!

….

I have an idea. I focus even more and expand the shield in front of me to both sides. And then I force it forward. It charges the wolves, who try too late to flee. Laoban even shoots once again it, but this time it is too thick to be destroyed. All of them get smashed and electroshocked by it.

I fall on my knees…Somehow I feel tired now.

Hapu, hapu…

I get up again and go closer to the Jade Orb. It is so close, but still too far. It flies up there.

I look down at the controls. Don't have a clue about them, but I don't need. I touch the surface and the LSG finds the fastest way to deactivate it.

The Orb falls down and rolls forward a little. I feel even more exhausted….

But finally it is almost done.

I pass the controls….

….Argh!

A pain goes through my body.

I fall on my belly.

Ahh….what a pain. I feel it at the back of my shoulder. It is worse than last time…

"You really thought you could enter **my **ship and stop me?" the voice of Shen is heard behind me. I hear him coming closer.

I turn around my head so I can see him, but it hurts even more. I see only his feet.

I try to look up. A Blaster is hold against my head.

"Goodbye, idiotic panda. You will not prevent my destiny."

I begin to smile.

"Why are you smiling?" he asks me annoyed.

"Because….destiny is….not written in stone. Ska-doosh."

And I focus on my hand, which grabbed his foot. The Energy shoots through him and he yells in pain.

When I let him go and he falls on his back paralyzed.

Hapu, hapu….Still one thing to do.

I crawl forward. The pain is killing me.

I reach the Jade Orb. I grab it and begin to focus.

Destroy….vanish, where you have come from. I feel like the pain in my body intensifies….the Orb begins to shine….

Then I hear a crack. I look up and detect the small crack at the surface of the Orb. A brighter green light is coming through the crack.

"What…what have you done?" I hear Shen's voice from behind me.

I turn around my head to him and begin to smile.

"Ordered it to destroy itself. It will happen soon. I would recommend you to leave your sinking ship, because it will be destroyed as well."

He looks at me disbelievingly.

"You did what? No, no…this can't be. My destiny….no!" he tries to stand up.

"Master!" I hear the voice shortly before a kick hits my face.

ARGHHHHH!

I fly backwards and land hard on my wound….when the pain till now was huge then now it is hell.

I had reached a wall behind me.

I try to open my eyes and see like Laoban has reached Shen and helps him to stand up. In the meantime another crack appears on the Orb.

Laoban points his Blaster at me, while supporting Shen on his shoulder.

"Let him be. He should die in the inferno he unleashed." Shen says depressed. Laoban shrugs and helps his master leave the place. I realize that every wolf on this ship is leaving this place.

I try to stand up as well, but….argh…..I can't.

I look at the Orb, where another crack had appeared.

The Orb is shining really bright already.

It looks like…a green Star almost.

I chuckle and regret it shortly after cause of more pain.

The thing I wanted to reach always. Now it will be the last thing I see.

…the last thing.

I am sorry Mum, Dad. Your plan didn't worked by me. I will never be a husband or a father. But I hope I was a good man in your eyes.

Another crack.

I am sorry Cien. I will not be able to survive like you wanted it.

The light gets brighter.

I was never able to see your smile for real, Tigress. That is the only thing I regret. I wish that I would have been able to see it at least once.

The heat begins to increase. I look at the Orb. It is already bigger than its original shape, but there are still seen remaining parts of its old surface. It resembles definitely now a Green Star and this time a one, which is close to me. The heat inside this hall begins to be intolerable.

It gets bigger, while another part of it cracks.

Cause of the Light my vision gets blurred.

…I smile.

Farewell Mum and dad. Farewell Mr. Ping. Farewell Cien, the Crew of the Furious and Roaring Dragon.

Farewell Tigress. I have known you only for a short time. Too short.

Farewell Universe. Exist further without me.

I hear another crack, before the light surrounds me.

…I am finally in the light.

* * *

Blackjack!  
Have you enjoyed reading this chapter? I hope so and would appreciate every review to it. :)

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	23. Aftermath

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XXII:** Aftermath

"Have you him?!" I yell to Aijna.

"Yes! A big energy is gathering in front of him!"

"Get him out there! Now!"

"That you don't need to tell me twice. The process of teleporting has started already."

The battle had ended, when suddenly the shields of the ship got offline. It fired still for a while, but shortly after smaller ships leaved it not anymore. The Star Fleet ships are using this opportunity to destroy the Weapon once and for all.

"Is he back?"

No Answer.

"Aijna!"

"Yes, we have him back. But he is heavenly injured at his shoulder and lost consciousness. He needs a doctor."

"Can't you treat him?"

"You have not upgraded my software or hardware for such wounds."

Damn! Needs to be really serious.

The sensors are showing something. Something really big.

"Open the window armor." I say and get blinded after it had opened.

A big green Ball had expanded outside of the center of this weapon and begins to smash it, after it had pulled it to itself.

"Am I am dreaming? Is this a Green Star?"

"Something of this kind. But much more energy gets fired from there. Hopefully the shell of the Jade Station is able to resists this heat."

We see like one part after another of the Weapon, we had feared moments ago, gets sucked to this unbelievingly heat, which gets bigger.

"I don't want to be close to it. Better we get some distance before the gravity is strong enough to pull us as well."

I move my hands for these orders.

"Wait a minute….Oh no!" Aijna mutters and simultaneously all the systems in front of me, give up their ghost. I start even to float

What the hell?

I look at the star, which implodes in the next moment. From its center a gigantic wave expends in every direction.

It hits us.

AHHHHHH!

A stronger shaking I have never felt. And cause of missing gravitation I hit several surfaces.

All seven hells: Ouch!

After the shaking had stopped, lights get back on as well like the gravitation.

….

Ow! Damn hard landing. I need soft grounds the next time.

Aijna appears.

"Sorry that I have not warned you, but there was no time."

"You have transferred all the energy to the shields?"

"….Yeah, I am impressed that you noticed."

"Only thinking logically. This wave should have destroyed us. How is our status?"

"Surprisingly good because of my fast reaction. But a second hit like this we don't survive."

"Have guessed this as well. How are the others?"

"Some of the ships were heavily damaged. Can't judge how heavy. Some reacted in time as well. For example the Furious."

"I see…and the Jade Station?"

"Damaged more than earlier. But whoever has built this Station needs to be a genius: The shell is still intact in the regions with the highest population. The damages are heavy, but most of the people will survive."

"Good to know…and the Star?"

"There is a black hole now. Small, but there. My systems react on the gravitation."

"I bet Jade Station will need to deal with this rather fast…" I realize something, "Damn! Po is hurt or not? Take course to the Furious! Fast!" I yell before running to the back of the ship.

* * *

I wake up.

"Uhh…."

I open my eyes slowly. I am seeing…a white room.

I….know this room.

I lift my head und look around. The Sickbay of the Furious.

"Finally you woke up.", Cien says. He is sitting not far away on a chair.

"Have you waited till I wake up?" I say after a concentrating moment.

He looks at me with a disgusted look, while standing up to me.

"God, no! This Croc-Doctor – I think they call him Scales – had said that you would wake up around this time. You have slept for two days, Po. Since then I had time to sleep, shower, eat, looking my soaps and invent jokes about the Crew."

I see…and begin to smile.

I am still living.

…a wonderful feeling….would have not guessed it would be so…intense…

I look back at Cien. There are questions which need to be asked.

"How could I leave this ship? I thought Aijna couldn't teleport me back cause of the shields."

"I can only guess, but probably the shields were connected to the Jade Orb as well. Would explain, why it was so troublesome to destroy them. And when you destroyed the Orb, away where the shields."

"I see…"

I smirk.

…

I remember another thing.

"How…are the others?"

He sighs and leans against the closest wall.

"Pretty much was destroyed. Many died, but also many survived. Shen had not the time to make much collateral damage, so the Station itself was not so heavily damaged that it can't be repaired. It could even withstand the last explosion."

"What last explosion?"

"The one of the Green Star you created. It imploded. But don't ask me, why we could survive its explosion so easily." I take a breath, "The First and Second Fleet on the other hand, had lost almost all of their ships. Good that only the fewest were destroyed completely. The Crews of the most could be rescued."

I nod.

"And how is Jade Station and the Peace District?"

He waits with his answer.

"The Station is looking better than by every simulation, when something like this happens. And the Peace District was not damaged much. And Mr. Ping is going well. Because many computer restaurants can't be reactivated as long as the repairs at the Station are not finished, the people have only two options left: Taking the emergency Allowance or going to Mr. Ping. Guess what they choose?"

I chuckle and pain shoots through me.

"Don't laugh too much. Scales said that you will need more time to heal than last time."

"I see….Thanks, Cien. You have saved my life there."

He looks down for a while. I think he dislikes this praise. He leaves his chair.

"Don't say it too often. I have a reputation to lose." he says grinning.

He raises a fist. First I don't get it, but it sunk in finally.

I raise my fist as well despite the minor pain by doing it. Our fists touch each other.

"We are square. A life for an ass. You don't need to feel indebted."

I grin.

"Don't have from the beginning."

He makes a face of acted anger.

"Can I…interrupt your conversation?" we hear a polite voice from the door.

There he is standing: Prime Oogway. A living legend.

…In real size he looks much bigger.

Cien turns around to him.

"I see….so Po; I have to do something now. See you later."

While Cien leaves Prime Oogway takes his old seat and pulls it to me. He sits down on it.

"How are you feeling, Po?"

"Good…still a little pain….but good."

"I see….that is very good." he chuckles, but then his eyes become serious, "I have awaited you for a long time."

That confuses me.

"You have awaited me…Sir?"

"Yeah, thanks to you, I know now, where the Jade Orbs are coming from. Your folk created them by compressing the energy of 100 suns to one small Orb. That's why it felled like the energy would be endless."

"100 suns? Wow…Sir."

"Yes, wow indeed…The destroyed Orb had lost much of its energy already till it exploded. Probably because it has powered the Jade Station for a long while and the circumstances, which happened in the last weeks. I believe that saved our all lives."

I nod to this explanation. "And because I transferred much of the energy away from It.", I add to the explanation.

"You did what?" he asks more curious than confused. I think he knows what I did, but I still explain it. "To destroy the Orb I needed to transfer much of its energy. There is a minimal limit of energy the Orb needs to control the remaining energy. I took away more than the limit allows and transferred it to my LSG."

"I see…this makes sense. With this you saved us twice: By beating Shen's ship and by minimizing the damage of the implosion."

What someone can say, when a living legend praise someone?

"Eh…"

He chuckles.

"In my life there were only two things important:" he continues, "The Jade Republic with all its citizens and finding the secret of the Jade Orbs. I felt always that I have not focused to one of the two enough. Always one would be neglected. Maybe that's why I made this mistake."

"Mistake, Sir?"

"The secret mission of Tai Lung to lure Lord Shen out of his hideout. Almost everything would have failed, because I didn't trust my citizens enough. It could have ended in a disaster. Thanks to you, it is a disaster, with which we can deal with. Thank you."

What someone can say when a living legend thanks someone?

"Eh…."

He chuckles again.

"The right word. I am indebted to you and maybe I will need to indebt myself even more."

"What do you mean, Sir?"

He looks at me sternly. "You see, I always thought that revealing the secret of the Jade Orbs would be my destiny. Since I have found them. I realized not long ago,…at least for my kind…that this is not true. It was yours."

"Mine, Sir?"

"Yes. You have revealed the secret to the Galaxy."

"But….I have only destroyed one of these Orbs. Nothing more."

"And in doing this, you fulfilled your destiny. And it was only the beginning."

"The beginning,…..Sir?"

"Yes…by destroying the Orb you replied one big question and have created several more. Questions which must be answered. For example the one you have heard yourself: The Spectres. What are they? And why have they destroyed your folk? And not to forget: Will they come back now after the secret of the Orbs is revealed?" he sees my surprised face, "Your friend Cien had told me about your vision."

"Ah….but I don't think they will come back. My parents said that they vanished already centuries ago."

"Yes, but where to? We need to find out more about them….You need to find more about them, because I think it is your destiny."

I lower my head. I have completely forgotten about this threat till this conversation. The disappearance of mum and dad was more important.

"Destiny…?" I mutter.

"Normally I would try to do it myself." he replies, "As well like with the Jade Orbs. But you have seen that one of these two things came off badly, because of this try to do it myself. I am a bad Prime."

"No, you aren't! I have heard and read so much about you. I know that there is no one, who would said that you were a bad Prime. And after meeting you in person….I agree to it."

He smiles at me warmly. "I know and maybe there is the mistake. The people don't know it better. But…that is not a discussion I wanted to talk with you right now. There is still time later for this." he hesitates, "Po, what will you do, when you are recovered?"

I have not thought about it. Had no time.

"I don't know….maybe fulfilling…my destiny…" I say. Still this felt not right.

"And what would you have done, if I haven't said you about your destiny?"

He looks at me seriously but still with this warm smile….I know what I wanted: "Finding my parents."

"Despite their wish to keep you away from any harm?"

"Maybe this is the reason alone, why I have to do this. I can't allow that my parents are in danger, while they protect me."

He lowers his head. "I see….then I will not stop you. But…while searching for them…would you find the secret about the Spectres for me? As the favor I mentioned."

That surprises me. He sees it and adds: "Like I explained I can't focus on two matters at the same time. And as long the people need me, I can't leave them. Now more than every time else. And even when I believe that it is your destiny to do this anyway, I still can't order you which road you need to take. After all, it is your decision. So Po, would you take away this burden for me?"

I don't need to think about this. "Of course….even when I don't believe in destiny…I would have done it anyway."

He smiles once again. "That is good….and thank you again. My debt to you has increased now." he stands up, "Po, I wish your good luck. By searching for your parents as well like searching for clues about the Spectres. And don't forget, that you are still young. We will talk once again, when it is time."

And with this he leaves me.

* * *

Blackjack + 1!  
Have you enjoyed reading this chapter? I hope so and would appreciate it when you would review this chapter. :)

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.


	24. There where no one

**Space Panda**

**Reaching the Stars**

**Chapter XXIII:** There where no one…

_Few days later…_

"Would have not thought to see you here, Tai." I say.

We are at the peak of the Tower. The walls here were destroyed during the battle, but emergency shields are used as a provisional replacement till the repairs reach this point.

"The Garden of Prime Oogway was destroyed, so I had to come up here." he turns around to me partially and smiles.

I don't smile back.

"Still angry, Lil Sis?"

"About one thing I can't stop thinking: Would you have done it, Tai?"

"What do you mean?"

"Killing me, when the mission had required it."

He hesitates.

"Courage, Altruism, Truth, Loyalty, Faith and Peace. The six principles of the Star Fleet. The Principles on which I have built upon my life."

I don't know what he wants to get to, but…

"Built? Aren't they your principles anymore?"

"Yes, but….I have broken one of them. I lied. For the sake of the mission. I knew that I would have to do this after the mission was explained. So I went to Prime Oogway to consult with him."

"What did he say?"

He turns around completely and his face is serious. "These principles are only guidelines. It depends, what you do with them, if they are worth following or not."

I get angry. "So it is good to break them? As long you can look at yourself in the mirror every coward, selfish, lying, traitorous, doubtful and warmonging act is allowed to do? That is shameful!"

He lowers his head. "No it isn't. Prime Oogway declared that as long you don't break your own principles, it is allowed." he lifts his head once again, "My most important principle was always to protect the ones close to me. Dad, my Crew, you…. You are more important for me than everything else."

I…I…am speechless.

"I would have never killed you, Lil Sis. Not for the mission. Not for the Jade Republic."

I lower my head ashamed.

"I….I am sorry, Tai….I…"

"…was angry? I understand. In your situation I would have reacted equally."

I lift my head again. "Can you forgive me?"

He smiles. "As long as you can forgive me for shooting at you."

I smile as well and nod. After this we hug. I have my brother back.

* * *

_One month after the Battle at Jade Station…_

"And now we welcome our heroes." Prime Oogway tells into the floating cameras.

We all are standing in the middle of the "Great Hall", the part of the Tower, where ceremonies are held. It is one of the less destructed parts of the Tower.

Prime Oogway had ended right now a speech about several topics: the threat was neutralized, the people could live further and grieve for their dead loving ones. Rather boring, but still motivating for the helpers of the repair teams.

Beside me is standing Po. And beside him Captain Tigress and Commodore Tai Lung. Only looking at Po shows, what he is thinking right now: "I am standing right besides Captain Tigress!"

In front of the tribune are not only the Higher-Ups of Jade Station, but as well many members of the Crews of the Furious and Roaring Dragon.

I look back at Po. He seems to faint almost standing beside the heroes of his dreams. Seems that he has forgotten that he had done this one month ago as well.

"Relax.", I say to him. Hopefully he listens to me. I don't want to carry him.

I am wearing my old clothes, although they were washed. Po had bought an expensive looking suit, in which he fits only through mental strength I bet. Tigress and Tai Lung are wearing dress uniform as well like Admiral Shifu, who is standing right beside Prime Oogway, who is wearing his usual dress.

Prime Oogway turns around and takes one medal from an opened box, which is hold by Admiral Shifu.

"Captain Tigress, step forward." she is doing it.

"This medal I will honor you for fulfilling your duty even in the danger of the battle trying to save as much people as possible and risking your life thereby. As well every member of your Crew will be honored with this."

He pins it on her chest.

"Thank you, Sir." she says disciplined as always. No smile…still the hardcore one. The clapping of the spectators is there for very loud.

"Commodore Tai Lung, step forward." Prime Oogway says, while taking another medal. Both look alike.

After he stepped forward, "Commodore Tai Lung for fulfilling your duty even at risk of your and your Crews life and your principles and by losing your ship, I honor you with this medal like everyone of your Crew."

After the pinning up, Tai Lung thanks as correctly as Tigress. The clapping is as strong as before.

Now Prime Oogway steps away and takes the empty box. Admiral Shifu steps forward with golden pads in his hands.

"Step forward you two." he says and doesn't sound so nice like Prime Oogway.

We do as told.

"For risking your life, even although it was not your duty and saving us all in this process, I delete your crime file and nominate you to Acting Ensigns of the Star Fleet. You will have the right to start a career on every ship of the Star Fleet."

The clapping begins and I guess it is stronger than by the two before us. I think I am even proud that's why…..new thoughts, new thoughts! I am still a Professional! I should not forget what I wanted to say.

"Thank you, Sir, but no. I love my freedom and stay rather the Freelancer I am already my whole life." I reply. That is what I should be proud of. Freedom. The base of my life style.

Admiral Shifu nods. "I see…and you, Po?"

"I will stay…free as well, Sir." That surprises me. I thought it would be his dream to become a Star Fleet Officer….

He nods. "Very well, if this is your wish, so be it."

He seems disappointed. Haven't expected this. In the last month he didn't start to love us, rather completely the opposite.

Prime Oogway told still some things, but then ended this ceremony.

We got still a goblet of champagne and could talk a bit. It tastes better than imagined thinking about the half destroyed Jade Station. I disappear to a balcony not far away from here. Shields are protecting me against the empty Void in front me.

I take another sip, when I begin to hear Captain Tigress:

"I wanted to thank you in personal, Po. Thanks to you I didn't need to sacrifice my ship."

"Eh….you are welcome…" I hear his stammered answer. I chuckle. You have stopped Shen and still can't talk with her properly? I have stepped closer and see her. She smiles at him. I bet he is like in heaven now. He talked about that for the last month already. The only thing he regretted, when he was close to death at Shen's ship.

"Would like to work with you sometimes again. Although I hope it will be not so risky like this time." she says saying goodbye.

He waves to her in goodbye as well and I can't prevent another chuckle, but this time louder.

I turn around and go back to the balustrade taking another sip of the Champagne. I sit down on a bench, which is found here. Shortly after Po enters the balcony. He seems to have heard my chuckle.

"There you had your chance and you bungled It.", I say to him with shaking my head. He steps forward to me.

"What should I have said?"

"Maybe asking her for a date?"

"….Noooooo. This would be too….too…."

"…non-awesome?"

"Yeah."

"Then you could have asked her for a date at the restaurant at the other end of the Galaxy."

"Wooh….is this really existing?"

"Don't have a clue." I reply chuckling. From where I have this?

He grumbles.

"Ah here you are." Admiral Shifu says, while entering the balcony as well. He is accompanied by this wolf called Agent Mask – who is a wolf wearing a creepy mask.

"What is it?" I ask immediately. I don't like this Agent.

"As always polite." Po protests.

"I am only honest." I counter.

"Too honest for my taste." Admiral Shifu explains, "You two have made almost a fool out of me during the ceremony."

"What can I say: I don't want to be a Star Fleet Officer."

"But you are one."

"What?"

"You two are Acting Ensigns, if you want to or not." I want to protest already, but Shifu raises his hand, "But you don't need to fear that you could lose your precious freedom. As Acting Ensigns outside a Star Fleet Star Ship, you have only privileges and no duties. One of these privileges is that you can dock at every Station of the Jade Republic and land in every colony and outpost not important which function these locations have. At least till Rank Two."

"Awesome. Rank Two!" Po exclaims.

"Is this high?" I ask.

"Yeah, the highest besides Rank One."

"Aha….how many Ranks are there?"

"Two, why?"

I sigh and Shifu shakes his head.

"And…you get this." he gives us a pad. There are only numbers written on it.

"What is this?" I inquire.

"My Frequency. Only Admirals and the Prime have this. You can call to me every time you want. Completely secured and tap-proof and without bugs.", but after he saw Po's shining face, he adds threatening, "Don't dare to call for me except it is an emergency. Got it?!"

We nod both.

The Admiral sighs.

"Ah, yes there is another thing." he gives us another pad.

"Again numbers." Po mutters, but I recognize this kind of numbers.

"No, coordinates." I correct him.

"Yes. This is from Prime Oogway. He said it could be helpful during the mission you will start now."

"What will I find in these coordinates?" Po asks him.

"The Nebula, where Prime Oogway found the Jade Orbs."

I think Po is surprised.

"Wasn't this my Homeworld?"

"No. Only Prime Oogway knew these coordinates. No one knows what you will find there as well."

"Can you say thank you to Prime Oogway for me?"

"I will.", and with this he leaves this place with Agent Mask, who is as talkative as always since I saw him the first time around one month ago.

We keep silent for a while drinking our Champagne.

At the end Po turns his head to me.

"What will you do now, Cien?"

I take another sip of the Champagne.

"What will you do, Po?"

"I asked first."

"Yeah, but I don't answer, before you say it loud."

He sighs.

"I want to find my parents. And fulfilling my promise. These coordinates are the first clue, where I can start searching, so I will travel there. Maybe I will find hints about my parents or the Spectres there. But first I will need a ship."

"I see…"

He looks at me sternly.

"Well, I have thought about restarting my career as a Professional again." I reply finally

"This? You never said, of what you are a professional."

"Of everything, of course. I get every job done, which I accept." I scratch my head, "But I don't think it will be easy to find an employer now, when everyone knows me as an Acting Ensign of the Star Fleet."

Another reason, why I prefer to be free. Maybe I can find a way to hide this…

"I can be your employer." Po says suddenly.

I look at him. You?

"Yes me.", he interprets my face correctly.

"With what you want to pay me? Have you forgotten that I am greedy?"

"Maybe with knowledge. We will go, where no one has gone before."

"Besides Oogway."

"Yeah, but this is long ago and he had never told the exact coordinates to anyone beside us. And don't forget: Where ruins are, can be as well riches."

I look at him with an amused glare.

"Like the last one what?" I sigh and scratch my head once again….What I have to lose anyway? …My life. I look at him. But maybe this time it will be worth it. Never lose hope or doesn't the saying sound so?

"I assume that I will regret it someday, but I accept."

He seems to be happy.

"So which argument had convinced you?" he asks.

I grin.

"No one. I hope that in this way the whole story of being an Acting Ensign can live down. And I am curious, if you are a better employer than accomplice-in-crime. There you were very bad."

"What? That's not fair."

"Nothing is fair in this world. Remember this."

We leave the Tower chuckling.

* * *

I stay in the Starport. In front of me is the entrance to Aijna, which Cien enters right now.

I stop and look behind. Jade Station….my home. I have said goodbye to every old friend as well like Mr. Ping. He knew from the start, that I was not the bad guy, who has done so many criminal acts while leaving Jade Station the last time. The last time…I left it, because I was forced to it, but this time I am leaving it voluntarily. I look up, where still a damaged part of the Jade Station is. The shields are still powered there and I can see the stars once again.

I have reached the stars, like I have dreamed for so long. I am a hero and my new home is the space beside the stars. I have an idea.

"_Space. The Final Frontier._

_These are the voyages of the one single Panda Po. _

_His mission:_

_To explore strange new worlds_

_To seek out his parents and possible threats for the Galaxy_

_To boldly go where no one..."_

"Po shut the hell up and come finally. I want to leave already." Cien says from the entrance and turns around again.

I add whispering.

"…_has gone before."_

**The End**

* * *

This story ends here. But I bet some have guessed already that there will be a sequel. And yes I confirm it offiically here: There will be a sequel. But still don't know when. But the journey through the stars of the one single Panda Po will continue that is for sure. So stay tuned till then and don't forget to post your opinion about this story in the review section. Till then: Live long and successful my dear readers. :)

Kung Fu Panda and its Characters belong to DreamWorks.

This World and Idea is mine.  
The quotation is a changed one from Star trek :)


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